Cynthia Nixon, long-time activist and actress most well-known for playing Miranda Hobbes on “Sex and the City,” announced Monday that she would be running against incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the New York elections for governor.
Nixon, who is of no relation to former President Richard Nixon, has never held political office, but she has been extremely involved in political activism, specifically in regards to issues concerning education, LGBTQ rights, and women’s rights.
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Nixon’s “Sex and the City” co-star Kristin Davis, who played Charlotte on the show, took to Twitter to congratulate Nixon, writing: “I am so proud of [Nixon], no one cares more than she does about EVERY person getting a fair chance and a good education. I know that she would be an excellent governor!”
Beyond her work on “Sex and the City,” Nixon has lived in New York for most of her life. She has performed on Broadway, in television, and in film. She is just shy of an Oscar to be an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) holder. Nixon is also a survivor of breast cancer, bisexual, and currently married to political activist Christine Marinoni.
Nixon’s career in political activism officially started in 2011 when she was part of a campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in New York.
In the area of education, Nixon is a spokesperson for the Alliance for Quality Education (AQE). As a supporter of public education (her kids attend New York public schools) and public transportation, Nixon spoke out against Gov. Cuomo on his budget. “[Gov. Cuomo] proposed yet another budget that will keep New York at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to educational equity and justice,” Nixon said in an AQE statement. “[Gov.] Cuomo claims he has provided record increases in education funding, but in reality, he has created a record spending gap between the wealthiest and poorest school districts.”
Nixon has also advocated for LGBTQ rights in her work for Fight Back New York PAC which works to get politicians who do not believe in same-sex marriage out of office. She is also a strong supporter of women’s rights and women’s health care. She has worked with Planned Parenthood and has been very outspoken in her pro-choice ideals. “President Trump’s first year in office has been a dark time for America,” Nixon wrote in a tweet Jan. 30. “But the good news is this is still a democracy, and the people can hold their leaders accountable. It’s time to take our government back.”