Letitia James to run for governor
New York Attorney NEW YORK — General Letitia James formally announced Friday that she is running for governor, a widely anticipated move from the woman who oversaw an investigation into allegations that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed numerous women.
James announced her candidacy on Twitter, saying, “I’m running for Governor of New York because I have the experience, vision, and courage to take on the powerful on behalf of all New Yorkers.”
A campaign video cited the multiple lawsuits she filed against former President Donald Trump’s administration and an investigation into deaths in New York’s nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
James, 62, is the first woman elected as New York’s attorney general and the first Black person to serve in the role. She’s expected to be a strong challenger against Gov. Kathy Hochul, who had been Cuomo’s lieutenant governor, for the Democratic nomination.
Hochul, who is from the Buffalo area, entered office with a reputation as centrist who is working to bolster her ties to New York City, where James’ political support is based.
James was born and raised in Brooklyn and made her first run for City Council as a candidate of the liberal Working Families Party. Her path to the nomination will be the obverse of Hochuls, trying to win over upstate Democrats who might be less progressive.
Before her bombshell report was released, prompting Cuomo’s resignation, James had been known nationally for her frequent legal tussles with Trump.
Since she became attorney general in 2019, her office has investigated Trump’s business affairs and filed dozens of lawsuits against the Republican’s administration over federal policies on immigration, the environment and other matters.
“I’ve sued the Trump administration 76 times. But who’s counting?” James said in her kickoff video, making a playful shrug of her shoulders while looking into the camera.
James also filed a lawsuit accusing the National Rifle Association’s leaders of financial mismanagement, the latest in a string of regulatory actions that have delighted liberals but drawn complaints from Republicans that she has unfairly used her office to target political opponents.