New York City’s worst kept secret is out: Andrew Cuomo wants to run for mayor.
Cuomo, 67 years old, has been gauging his mayoral chances for months, according to several people with direct knowledge of the conversations. Longtime allies of New York’s former governor have been working to put the pieces of a campaign together around him in the event he jumps into the race, the people said.
The Queens-born Democrat has registered to vote at a Manhattan address, according to public records. In his conversations with potential backers, he is focused on what he thinks is going wrong for the city and how he would fix it. Close associates have been assembling people to independently fundraise for him.
Without even formally campaigning, Cuomo has topped a crowded primary field in at least one poll and can expect the early endorsement of the city’s District Council of Carpenters union if he declares. All that is left is for him to make his candidacy official, which could occur toward the end of the month or the beginning of March.