New York governor Paterson drops election bid

NEW YORK governor David Paterson, who repeatedly and defiantly said he would let voters decide if he should run the state, abruptly quit his nascent election bid yesterday amid a stalled agenda, faltering popularity and criticism of his handling of a domestic abuse case involving one of his most trusted aides.

Democratic officials in Washington and a person briefed by Paterson in New York were informed of his plans early yesterday. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because Paterson had not publicly disclosed his decision.

Paterson, who had publicly prided himself on beating the odds, including overcoming blindness to rise through treacherous New York politics, formally announced his campaign last weekend but faced mounting calls to drop out of the race in the midst of controversy. A top aide is ensnared in a domestic violence scandal, the governor was finding dwindling support in his own party and his campaign bank account paled in size to those of his rivals.