Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon has a challenging new role
The video will start in 8 Cancel
Get politics updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Cynthia Nixon, one of the stars of the hit television series "Sex and the City," announced on Monday she would run for governor of New York.
The actress, who played steely lawyer Miranda Hobbes in the hit series ended months of speculation declaring on Twitter: "I love New York, and today I'm announcing my candidacy for governor."
Ms Nixon, 51, faces a tough six-month battle in the Democratic primary against the two-term incumbent, Andrew Cuomo, whose father Mario was a three-term governor before him.
Her campaign sets up a battle for the September 13 primary between a celebrity on the left of the Democratic Party and a moderate governor who is often mentioned as a possible presidential hopeful in 2020.
(Image: Andrew Cowie / Barcroft Media)
If successful in both the primary and general elections, Nixon, who played no-nonsense lawyer Miranda in the long-running TV show, would become New York's first female and first openly gay governor.
A statement by Nixon's campaign called her a progressive alternative to Cuomo, referring to the governor as a centrist whose aides were mired in legal trouble.
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
It also made note of the state's role in operating New York City's antiquated and much maligned subway system.
An accompanying video, which shows Nixon at home with her wife, Christine Marinoni, and their young son Max, also
addresses income inequality.
"Our leaders are letting us down," Nixon says in the video.
"We are the most unequal state in the entire country, with both incredible wealth and extreme poverty."
Nixon is aligned with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat who is politically to the left of Cuomo. The two men have feuded over issues such as public transit and housing in the nation's largest city.
(Image: Channel 4)
Nixon starred in the HBO television series from 1998 to 2004 about four women in New York City, playing the part of attorney
Miranda Hobbes.
The show later led to two feature films.
She is also a Tony Award-winning stage actress.