In his daily news conference on Monday, de Blasio said he “hasn’t ruled out” a potential run for higher office next year. A New Yorker called into the media advisory to ask de Blasio if he had intentions to take part in the gubernatorial race.
“I haven’t ruled in or ruled out anything,” de Blasio said. “I haven’t made any decisions about the future.”
The mayor said that his “singular focus” at the moment is to manage COVID-19 in the city and help it recover from the pandemic.
“At some point, I have to figure out what I am doing. Obviously, I care deeply about the people of this city, I care deeply about public service, but I have not made any decisions about the future,” de Blasio added.
De Blasio cannot run for mayor for a third term and will be replaced in 2022 due to the New York City’s term limits. The Democratic mayoral primary held in June selected Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams as the nominee and Adams is expected to win the general election against Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa.
Cuomo announced in May 2019 that he intended to run for a fourth term as governor in 2022. New York does not have term limits for statewide offices, allowing Cuomo to seek another four years.
If he decides to run, de Blasio will challenge the current governor for the Democratic nomination. De Blasio brushed off the question in March, saying, “the future will take care of itself.”
Cuomo was initially celebrated as a leader amid the pandemic. The governor received high praise from celebrities and politicians early on in 2020. His daily COVID-19 briefings won an Internationa Emmy Founder’s Award from the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in November.
Sexual harassment allegations have muddied Cuomo’s chances of securing a fourth term, with nationwide calls for the governor’s resignation stemming from the claims. Cuomo has been accused of inappropriate behavior by several women.
The last mayor to run for governor in the state was New York City Mayor Ed Koch in 1982. Koch ran against Cuomo’s father, Mario, for the Democratic nomination, but Koch lost in the primary.
Luis Miranda, a former staffer for Koch’s mayoral administration, told Spectrum News in March that he believed de Blasio would be in for a tough race.
“Anything can happen in politics, I tell you that all the time. The mayor should not be underestimated. But winning statewide is different than winning in the city of New York,” Miranda said.
The mayor also added himself to the crowded Democratic primary for the 2020 Presidential Election but dropped out of the race after garnering little support.
Newsweek reached out to the offices of de Blasio and Cuomo but did not hear back by publication time.
Update 8/2/21 - 1:10 PM -This story was updated with additional information.
