De Blasio files paperwork to set up run for governor of NY

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is one step closer to joining the race for governor of New York after filing paperwork with the Board of Elections to create a fundraising committee.

The Democrat filed paperwork last week to create a committee called New Yorkers for a Fair Future that will allow him to raise funds for a statewide campaign.

De Blasio, whose second and final term as mayor ends Dec. 31, has not formally announced a run for governor but has spoken broadly about wanting to serve New York state.

“I do want to continue in public service. I do want to do more for the people in this city and this state,” the mayor said at his virtual news briefing Tuesday.

Asked about his familiarity with the rest of the state outside of New York City, de Blasio said, “I love a lot of parts of the state, and look, I think this is a state with tremendous potential, but also a lot of unrealized potential. There’s tremendous talent, tremendous beauty in the state of New York, but we’re not where we need to be.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who took over as governor in August after Andrew Cuomo resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal, announced that she will run for a full term in 2022. State Attorney General Letitia James is also running for the Democratic nomination.

Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island and Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, are among those seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

De Blasio, 60, ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 but failed to break out of a crowded field.