What you should know
- Ombudsman Jumaane Williams confirmed Tuesday that he submitted documents to potentially join the New York gubernatorial race.
- The New York City Democrat told our sister network NBC New York who will spend the next month exploring whether to pursue the party’s nomination.
- If Williams officially joins the race, he would face Hochul and potentially other familiar faces like Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
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NEW YORK – Ombudsman Jumaane Williams confirmed Tuesday that he submitted documents to potentially join the New York gubernatorial race.
The New York City Democrat told our sister network NBC New York who will spend the next month exploring whether to pursue the party’s nomination. If she does, the race will be a rematch against the state’s 57th governor, Kathy Hochul, who is the first woman to hold the job.
In 2018, Gov. Hochul defeated Williams by fewer than seven points in a relatively close primary for lieutenant governor, compared to Cynthia Nixon, who lost the gubernatorial race to Andrew Cuomo by more than 30 points.
With former Governor Cuomo embroiled in scandal after scandal, from allegations of sexual harassment by current and former staff members to his handling of the pandemic, Williams told the magazine. New York Magazine that its aim is to hold members of the Cuomo administration accountable for allowing the alleged misconduct “through silence.”
“We have to get rid of all the infrastructure that was there and that allowed the environment that we have,” Williams said in an interview with Zoom on Tuesday.
If Williams officially joins the race, he would face Hochul and potentially other familiar faces like Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
De Blasio reacted to the news of Williams’ interest in the governorship by apparently revealing his own interest in serving the people throughout New York State.
“I want to serve the people of this city and this state. I want to continue working on the issues that deeply concern me,” he said. He also stated that the news about Williams does not surprise him because the Ombudsman has shown interest in it before.
As for New York attorney general Letitia James, whose investigation into Cuomo’s sexual harassment allegations led to the former governor’s resignation, she has not yet confirmed whether she will run for governor. She told the magazine New York Magazine by text message that he considers Williams a younger brother and said, “I wish him luck.”
Although James and de Blasio, who campaigned to become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominees last year and finished near the end, are likely to become their future opponent, the 45-year-old former New York City Council member. years old says he’s not thinking about the competition right now.
“I don’t intend to run against anyone right now. In fact, we are trying to run FOR something and we are trying to present a different kind of leadership style and a different kind of thought process,” Williams said.
What Williams is trying to do is make room for progressives in the Democratic primaries, according to Fordham University political science professor Christina Greer.
“It’s always great for New Yorkers, I would say, that the robust primary season is a great way to contest all the political positions of all the candidates,” Greer said.
As for Governor Hochul, she has already said that she plans to run for governor next term and has been making frequent stops in the city for the past month, including Monday in the Bronx. His team had no comment.
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