Cuomo and Molinaro face off, leaving third-party candidates behind

The New York Governor's race is heating up with less than two weeks until election day.  Current New York Governor Andrew Cuomo debated Republican nominee Marc Molinaro for an hour Tuesday afternoon, but the three third-party candidates were left out.

Serve America Movement nominee Stephanie Miner, Libertarian nominee Larry Sharpe and Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins all expressed their concerns about not being asked to debate alongside the Democrat and Republican nominees.

Sharpe said he's not shocked he wasn't asked to debate.

"No, no I knew that.  I'm not surprised at all.  I've been talking about that forever. If you look at what I've been doing, I've been using non-traditional media," he said.  Although if he was asked to debate: "Of course I would. Why? Because I actually have ideas. I like long form. I like my ideas getting out."

Green Party nominee Hawkins response: "CBS is acting like state media for the American two-party state."  

Hawkins believes the entire race has either focused on Cuomo and Nixon or Cuomo and Molinaro. 

"I'm disappointed that I have not been included in the narrative on the issues," Hawkins added.

Lieutenant Governor nominee Michael Volpe for the "Serve American Movement" spoke for his running mate and former two-term Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner.

"It's a terrible reflection on the state of politics in New York," Volpe said. He adds, "To exclude independent parties is not democracy at its best."

Four out of the five Governor candidates accepted an invitation to a debated hosted by the League of Women Voters at the College of St. Rose on November 1st. Cuomo is the only one left to respond.

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