Now Making the Rounds: Cuomo 2016 Passage of same-sex marriage law gives Cuomo huge political boost By Mark Russell, Newser Staff Posted Jun 26, 2011 6:37 AM CDT 12 comments Comments Thanks to the bipartisan passage of a same-sex marriage law, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is emerging as a very early leader in the 2016 presidential race. (Getty Images) (Newser) – New York's gay marriage bill has been a major boon for rookie governor Andrew Cuomo—to the semi-ridiculous tune of propelling his name into the 2016 presidential race, writes Chris Cillizza in the Washington Post. “It’s not just that he delivered on a major civil rights issue for the Democratic base in a huge state, it’s how he did it—winning bipartisan support and sticking with it when it seemed it might fail,” said a Democratic consultant. Not only is Cuomo getting major public support, he even has a 59% approval rating from Republicans in New York state. “If you can govern successfully in this environment, everyone has to take you seriously,” said a political strategist. While noting it is a tad early to be speculating about 2016, Cillizza nonetheless calls Cuomo the (very) early frontrunner, thanks to his well-known name and strong fundraising abilities. Politico also has a touch of Cuomo 2016 fever. (Read more Andrew Cuomo stories.) My Take on This Story Report a story error Show results without voting | 14% Annoying 12% Hilarious 10% Intriguing 2% Depressing 60% Brilliant 2% Scary