NEW YORK – There's a new round of speculation that Mayor Bill de Blasio will run for governor next year.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that de Blasio has been telling people close to him that he plans to join the 2022 race. The mayor has had private conversations with fellow Democrats and donors, three sources told the paper.
De Blasio has also reached out to former aides about working on a potential campaign, gauged the support of labor leaders through phone calls, and conducted a private survey, according to the report.
The mayor addressed the speculation as recently as his Wednesday briefing, when he was asked about the new Times report.
“I’ve talked to a number of people to say I want to continue in public service,” he said, adding, “I’m not going to make any political announcements.”
With just three months to go as mayor, de Blasio said he’s “very proud” of what city government has done during the COVID crisis and that he remains focused on New York’s recovery.
“I’ve got a lot to offer,” he said. “As we get farther down the line, when I have something more to say, I will certainly let you know.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul, the state’s first female governor, has already said she intends to run next year, while New York City’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, launched an exploratory committee last week. There’s also been much speculation that the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, may run.
"I thought everybody in Brooklyn was running, that's what it feels like. People are going to do what they want," Hochul said Wednesday when asked about de Blasio possibly running for governor. "I have been in 13 elections, there's always people talking about running — some do, some don't... but I want everybody to know that is not on my mind. There's chatter out there, my focus is on what we're doing here today — protecting people, protecting their health as well."
Peter Ragone, an adviser to de Blasio, told the Times that the mayor “hasn’t made any final decisions at all about what he’s doing next.”
While de Blasio’s support has lagged, even within his own party, Dutchess County executive Marc Molinaro told the Times, “I would not underestimate his ability to develop a coalition within his party.”
“He’s very skilled at that,” Molinaro said.
Rev. Al Sharpton, meanwhile, said de Blasio “should not be taken lightly.”
“He has some standing in the progressive community, he has some standing in communities of color,” the civil rights leader said.
However, a statewide race could prove challenging for de Blasio.
Rich Schaffer, chairman of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee, told the Times that “Osama bin Laden is probably more popular” than de Blasio in the county.
Schaffer, who endorsed Hochul this week, believed de Blasio “would have zero support if not negative out here.”
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