Sheriff Andy Cuomo Smiling Today

After de Blasio's self-inflicted school closure mess, Sheriff Andy is smiling wide:

Gov. Cuomo on Thursday said  Mayor de Blasio’s city-centered plans for prekindergarten will not pass muster with state lawmakers.

Cuomo, during a conference to update reporters on storm conditions, used some of his strongest language to date to criticize the mayor’s Pre-K proposals and predicted it would not win approval with lawmakers in the state Legislature.

“The state legislature represents the entire state, not just New York City, so you are not going to pass a piece of legislation saying my children should go first,” Cuomo said. “That’s not the way we govern, that is not the way we operate and it’s not going to be successful.”

Cuomo said he understood the reason for de Blasio’s drive to provide Pre-K to city children but stressed that he wanted the same opportunities for children elsewhere in the state. He also portrayed the mayor’s campaign for a city-only tax on the wealthy as divisive.

“Any policy that would seek to divide the state I will oppose,” Cuomo said. “Any policy that would seek to differentiate treatment for children, especially on such a vital service as Pre-K, I would oppose.  Also, that’s not the way this state operates, it is not our ethic,  it is not our culture.  This is one state, upstate downstate, rich and poor.”

De Blasio was so busy shooting himself in the foot yesterday defending his keeping schools opened decision, he didn't get to return Cuomo's attacks over pre-K.

Cuomo not only won the news cycle, he has pretty much won the war over pre-K and reasserted his dominance as the alpha male Dem in the state.

You can bet Sheriff Andy knows that and is smirking when no one is looking.