New York Attorney General Letitia James plans to run for governor, people familiar with her thinking told the New York Times.
James, who is best known for attempting to prosecute former president Donald Trump and his family business, will vie for the state’s Democratic nomination and plans to make an announcement about her intentions later this week.
“Attorney General Letitia James has made a decision regarding the governor’s race. She will be announcing it in the coming days,” Kimberly Peeler–Allen, a James campaign adviser, said in a statement.
James is poised to be a top threat to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who took over the governorship after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace following reports that he sexually harassed multiple women.
While Hochul may have an early advantage, according to polls, her erratic behavior has led some to wonder if she is fit for the job.
James’s intentions, meanwhile, have long been a source of speculation after she played a major role in engineering Cuomo’s downfall. Although his scandals were widely known beforehand, it was a press conference from James that sealed his fate and forced fellow Democrats to fully acknowledge the scope of Cuomo’s abuse.
At the time, Cuomo dismissed the report confirming that he had sexually harassed several of the women who worked for himas a hit j ob intended to get him out of office so she could later campaign for it.
The Democrat attorney general also has come under fire from Republicans several times for using her office to target political opponents. Last year, for example, she sued the National Rifle Association, accusing the organization’s leaders of financial mismanagement, in an attempt to disband the pro-gun rights group.
Cuomo’s gap potentially paves the way for a crowded primary field, although James has the benefit of a large profile outside the state and is not afraid to leverage her position for political advantage.
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams decided to run this week as well and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he is also considering a run.
3 years ago when I was exploring a statewide run, I saw enthusiasm all across New York— and heard about shared struggles.
Now I’m hearing many of the same struggles, because the same systems are in place.
We’re still here fighting, and I’m seeing the same enthusiasm for change pic.twitter.com/en8IxxxG91
— Jumaane Williams (@JumaaneWilliams) October 27, 2021
Republican candidates include Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y.
