State of New York secondary Archives: on Principles & Values

Zephyr Teachout: Political icons: Teddy Roosevelt & Louis Brandeis

When asked about her influences, she eschews more recent icons like John F. Kennedy or Lyndon B. Johnson in favor of early 20th century figures like Teddy Roosevelt, Louis Brandeis, and William Jennings Bryan.

"These are people who, trapped in one circumstance managed to organize and create a new one; it gives you an extraordinary sense of possibility, understanding that the world can be better, can be different," Teachout said in a phone interview.

Teachout, a law professor at Fordham University, is running in the Democratic primary in September against the incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Her campaign platform promises more spending on education and infrastructure, but it's her tough stance on corruption and corporate power that is most salient.

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