Former New York City Council Speaker
Christine Quinn has criticized Cynthia Nixon's gubernatorial run,
calling her an “unqualified lesbian.”
Nixon on Monday announced she's
challenging New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in September's Democratic
primary and held her first campaign event on Tuesday.
“I'm surprised by this race,”
Quinn, who is openly gay, told The New York Post. “It's a
flight of fancy on her part.”
“Cynthia Nixon was opposed to having
a qualified lesbian become mayor of New York City,” Quinn
said, a reference to Nixon's endorsement of New York Mayor Bill
de Blasio over her in 2013. “Now she wants an unqualified lesbian
to be the governor of New York. You have to be qualified and have
experience. She isn't qualified to be the governor.”
Nixon, who is best known for playing
Miranda Hobbes on the HBO dramedy Sex and the City, is raising
three children with her wife Christine Marinoni. She is an outspoken
critic of Cuomo's policies on public education.
“She's an accomplished actress, a
supporter of political causes and that's a good thing,” Quinn said.
“Participating in rallies is important. But she's never run an
organization. Being an actress and celebrity doesn't make you
qualified for public office.”