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Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that he was entering the race to challenge embattled New York City mayor Eric Adams, as the former state governor attempts a political comeback from a sexual harassment scandal.
Cuomo’s name recognition and strong donor network makes him an early favourite in a crowded field to unseat Adams.
The 67 year old, who resigned four years ago following allegations of sexual harassment, made his first pitch to voters in a 17 minute video which sought to draw on city dwellers’ anxieties around crime, homelessness and economic decline.
“We know that today our New York City is in trouble,” he said.
“You see it in the empty store fronts, the graffiti, the grime, the migrant influx, the random violence. The city just feels threatening, out of control and in crisis.”
“Today it is necessary to launch a bold action plan to turn New York City around, to save our city,” Cuomo added.
He blamed the city’s problems on “the lack of intelligent action” by its current leaders, although he did not name the Adams administration in his address.
Adams, who is deeply unpopular in the city, is reeling from a federal indictment last year and the decision by the Trump justice department to have those charges dropped.
Cuomo said he would “work with anyone who wants to work for the benefit of New York” and pointed to his collaboration with President Donald Trump during the pandemic.
The former governor did not directly acknowledge the scandal that led to his 2021 resignation, but said that his mistakes had made him a “better person”.
“Did I always do everything right in my years of government service? Of course not,” he said. “Did I make mistakes, some painfully? Definitely.”
Cuomo’s campaign will in part test the durability of the #MeToo movement, and will offer one signal of who Democrats believe can effectively spar with Trump. Cuomo’s direct and authoritative style may now be seen as necessary traits.
His rivals in the race include both the current and former city comptroller, Brad Lander and Scott Stringer, as well as several state and local politicians. Early polling had Cuomo as the clear frontrunner even before he announced his candidacy.
The former governor said the city needed to hire more police, do “whatever is necessary to make our subway safe”, and start building thousands of affordable housing units.
The largest US city by population has struggled with an affordability crisis, with rents skyrocketing over the past decade, and fears over public safety, even as the crime rate dropped last year.
“To me the founding premise of a progressive Democratic party is all about serving working men and women,” Cuomo said.
“But the cruel irony is they are the ones now paying the highest price for New York’s failed Democratic leadership.”
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