Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo considering run for NYC mayor

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is reportedly contemplating a mayoral candidacy in New York City, as per a recent news piece.

Politico sources indicate that Cuomo is evaluating the feasibility of a potential mayoral campaign, amidst a federal probe into current Mayor Eric Adams concerning an alleged straw donor scheme. Earlier this year, a state inquiry led to the indictment of six individuals in an alleged plot to illicitly channel substantial sums of public money into Adams’ electoral fund prior to his victory, with Adams himself not being implicated then.

According to these sources, Cuomo, a Democrat like Adams, has no plans to challenge Adams in a primary. However, should Adams’ political career be jeopardized, Cuomo might step into the mayoral race. A Queens native, Cuomo would qualify to run provided he resides in NYC on Election Day.

Cuomo’s resignation from the governorship in 2021 followed an investigation by state Attorney General Letitia James, which found him guilty of sexually harassing 11 women at work. Additionally, his $5 million book deal about his initial Covid-19 response and the nursing home controversy, including the underreporting of Covid-19 deaths, came under fire.

Despite facing no criminal charges and maintaining his innocence, Cuomo has consistently expressed a keen interest in returning to a public office role. He reportedly considered a 2022 run against Governor Kathy Hochul for New York’s top office and has mulled over a presidential bid, including in 2020.

Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr., an ex-state senator and former New York City Council member, shared with Politico, “My opinion is if he runs, he will win. People are in need of a leader. Even though Governor Cuomo and I have our differences, we’ve had many fights in the past, and besides the differences, I think he was a great governor.”