(Hill) – Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Saturday afternoon that he will be entering the mayoral race in New York City, adding a big name to the already busy Democrat major and challenging Eric Adams (D).
“Our city is in crisis, so I’m running to become mayor of New York City,” he wrote along with the video on social platform X. “We need governments to work. We need effective leadership.”
He also included a link to his campaign website.
Cuomo’s entrance is barely surprised after speculation that he will attempt a political comeback for years after he resigned as governor amid multiple controversies that ultimately involved his administration.
Cuomo appears likely to be an immediate frontrunner for the race, based on recent votes that include him, Adams and half a dozen other candidates already running for the nomination.
One poll from December showed him in 32% in the first round of the city’s ranked choice voting system, but the next closest competitor received only 10%. Cuomo ultimately reached the majority needed to win in the system in the fifth round of the vote.
Another in January showed him in 43% in the first round with his next overtaken opponent, Adams.
However, Cuomo may have to overcome the prolonged shadows of the controversy that brought the end of his governor after a decade of tenure.
He is an increasingly stable presence within the Democrats and has become a regular fixture for television due to his briefings during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was temporarily floating in 2020 as a last-minute candidate for the president.
However, his administration has derailed throughout 2020 and 2021. Several women accused him of sexual harassment while in office. An independent investigation from state attorney general Leticia James (D) found that Cuomo had committed sexual harassment against almost 12 women.
Cuomo has rejected the findings of the report and has always denied all allegations against him, but he resigned from his duties shortly after the release of the report, saying he did not want to distract him from the functions of the government.
His administration also faced accusations that he intentionally compensated for the number of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes. A general report from Justice Department inspectors released in January during the Biden administration found that officials during President Trump’s first term could be violating laws targeting investigations into the issue of the state with the Democratic governor, despite other states having more important care issues in nursing homes.
Cuomo may still need to address questions about these issues during his campaign, but he can also point out his achievements as governor over the long term, and have the early benefits that come from previous statewide officials and known politicians.
He and other candidates have an unusual opening this year to win a nomination for the incumbent mayor.
He was charged with bribery and wire fraud in September, based on accusations of accepting bribery from businessmen and Turkish officials. His trial was scheduled to begin in April, just two months before the Democratic primary in June, but the Justice Department has directed prosecutors to drop the case.
The federal judge who oversaw the case has indefinitely delayed Adams’ trial and directed those involved to file a brief on the impact of his pending ruling on whether to allow the case to be withdrawn in March.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Emil Bove’s directive is unusual in that it did not assess the strength of the lawsuit and “improperly obstructed” Adams’s 2025 reelection campaign and his ability to be “overly restricted” by illegal immigration and violent crime.
The move has sparked considerable backlash from career staff, leading to the resignation of multiple prosecutors over the decision, including US lawyer Daniel Sasson.
Adams denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty, but early signs point to the end of his legal difficulties that did not cause political turnarounds. Polls show that most New Yorkers have disapproved him, and many don’t want to remove the accusations.
And even before Adams was indicted, his approval rating was underwater.
Despite the odds that appear to be against him, Adams continued his bid, vowing to run in the Democratic primary, and rejected speculation that he would run as a Republican.
Cuomo has already won some notable approvals before entering the race. These include Rep. Richie Torres (DN.Y.), former state director Carl McCall and Staten Island Democrats.
His campaign will also get help from a super PAC that functions independently of his campaign committee, called Fix the City, made up of his allies.
Steff Danielle Thomas and Caroline Vakil contributed the report.
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