Cuomo, Klein rally at SAR Academy

If there was any lingering doubt about how Gov. Andrew Cuomo felt about having state Sen. Co-majority Leader Jeff Klein play a central policymaking role for the state, it was put to rest at a rally at Salanter Akiba Riverdale (SAR) Academy on Sunday.

Earlier this year, Mr. Cuomo suggested he would support former Councilman Oliver Koppell’s Democratic primary challenge against Mr. Klein unless the senator agreed to form a new power-sharing coalition with Democrats.

After two years of leading his Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) in a partnership with Senate Republicans, Mr. Klein said over the summer that he would form a coalition with the Democrats after the November general ballot.

In light of recent reports quoting Albany insiders as saying Mr. Cuomo and his staff in fact encouraged Mr. Klein to join forces with Senate Republicans in 2012, the governor’s statements hinting at support for Mr. Koppell might have been for show.

At any rate, Mr. Cuomo, who endorsed Mr. Klein in July, once again made it clear on Sunday that he wants the senator to keep his spot in the leadership. Speaking before dozens of Klein supporters, many of them campaign staff or volunteers, the governor started his speech off on a personal note.

“I’ve spent more time with Jeff than I have with my kids over the past four years,” Mr. Cuomo said. “Jeff Klein is an extraordinary public servant, and we’re lucky to have him in the Senate.”

Like Mr. Klein, Mr. Cuomo was the favorite in his primary race on Tuesday (results came out after The Press went to print). But after the governor largely refrained from campaigning for months, commenters speculated one of the main reasons for his sudden string of appearances throughout the city and state was to promote his choice for lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul. Ms. Hochul, who previously lost reelection to represent one of the state’s most conservative districts in Congress, faced a tough challenge from Tim Wu.

After effusive praise from Mr. Cuomo and Ms. Hochul at the SAR Academy, Mr. Klein returned the favor.

“We have a lot in common,” he said of Ms. Hochul. “People forget when I first ran for the state Senate, I took a seat that was a Republican seat for over 100 years.”

“Kathy did the same thing,” he continued. “She understands how hard it is to espouse those Democratic values, sometimes in very conservative areas.”

Outside of SAR Academy, a handful of Koppell supporters stood and held signs. But they were gone by the time Mr. Cuomo zoomed on to his next stop in the last weekend before the big primary vote.