De Blasio to decide ‘very soon’ on possible gubernatorial bid

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said he would decide soon whether to run for governor after his second term as mayor ends. 

De Blasio, who is in his final week as mayor and is barred from running for a third four-year stint, said he’s focused on fighting the coronavirus pandemic in his final days in office but could make a decision shortly after.

“Real, real soon. I’ve got one more week, and I’m going to focus obviously on fighting COVID,” he told “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough on MSNBC. “I’m going to finish that fight, and then there’s a new fight up ahead to change this state. I’ll have a lot more to say very, very, very soon, Joe.”

De Blasio has been rumored for months to be considering a challenge to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), and he filed paperwork with the state’s Board of Elections last month to request approval for a fundraising committee that could be used for a potential campaign.

Should he jump in the race, de Blasio would be joining an already crowded Democratic primary field that includes Hochul, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Thomas Suozzi. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), who resigned earlier this year, is also reportedly mulling a bid.

De Blasio would likely start the race on his back foot, with a Sienna College poll released earlier this month showing him trailing Hochul by 30 points in a primary. However, that poll also surveyed support for state Attorney General Letitia James, who has since withdrawn from the gubernatorial race and opted instead to run for reelection. 

De Blasio has also suffered from low approval ratings in recent years.