Sandra Lee shot down rumors that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is planning a presidential run in an interview in this week's New York Times Magazine.
"Andrew is focused on being governor. He's not running for president," she said.
Though the 2012 election is still months away, Cuomo 2016 rumors have been swirling since last year.
Recently, Politico reported that the notoriously tight-lipped governor has been shunning the media as part of his 2016 strategy.
Political operatives and media insiders in New York say Cuomoâs low profile is part of a tightly controlled media operation geared toward ensuring a strong showing in 2016. By avoiding the national spotlight now, they say, Cuomo can craft his own narrative as an able governor â outgrowing his reputation as a brash political tactician â and, perhaps most important, avoid making the kinds of gaffes that have plagued him in the past.
But 2016 is far off, and there are a slew of other rumored contenders, including Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton (who both ran for president in 2008). Still, the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza ranked the governor as 1st seed in his 2016 presidential race bracket.