NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- After mounting speculation, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Friday afternoon she is running to be the next governor of New York.
"I'm running for Governor of New York because I have the experience, vision, and courage to take on the powerful on behalf of all New Yorkers," she tweeted. "Let's do this, together."
"New Yorkers need a governor who isn’t afraid to stand up to powerful interests on behalf of the vulnerable," she said in her announcement. “Throughout my career, I’ve taken on big forces."
James has been the state’s attorney general since 2019. Before that, she spent four years as New York City’s public advocate and a decade in as a Brooklyn city councilwoman.
James has dropped hints of possibly running for the Governor’s Mansion in 2022 over the past month, and has made some recent hires for adviser and fundraising positions, according to the New York Times.
James' AG’s office most notably released a report in August detailing allegations of sexual harassment from several woman against then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo resigned from office on Aug. 23.
Following Cuomo's forcible touching misdemeanor charge Thursday, his spokesperson Rich Azzopardi questioned James' political motives as an adviser confirmed Wednesday she would announce her governor's race "in the coming days."
"Tish James' report as evidence to pronounce the Governor guilty of an allegation he had not yet investigated," Azzopardi said in a statement Friday. "Now, as she prepares to announce her Gubernatorial run, Tish James returned the favor, using [Albany County Sheriff Craig] Apple's conveniently timed move to validate her sham report -- here politics is validating politics, what's missing is facts and the law."
James will be going up against Gov. Kathy Hochul as she seeks a full term. She could also run alongside current NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Mayor Bill de Blasio — both of whom have not yet confirmed whether they will run, but Williams formed an exploratory committee.
On the Republican side, former Westchester Executive Rob Astorino, Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin and Andrew Giuliani, Rudy’s son, have declared as running for governor.
Hochul led James 47%-31% head-to-head in a Siena College poll that was released last week. James placed third among respondents in a field that included Hochul, Cuomo, James, Williams and de Blasio.
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