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Cuomo crisis recalls Northam’s; supporters say no comparison

Ralph Northam
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The political crisis engulfing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has triggered a flurry of comparisons to Virginia's Ralph Northam.

Both high-profile Democrats have found themselves at odds with their party and faced widespread calls for their resignations. But Northam’s supporters and some outside political observers say that’s where the similarities end.

Northam has effectively recovered two years after a scandal erupted over a racist photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook. He has evolved from a one-time pariah to a leader whose endorsement is coveted in this year’s competitive statewide elections.

The accusations against Cuomo deal with alleged behaviors during his term in office; those against Northam stem from a time decades before he entered politics.