Two unions back Tish for reelex as state AG
State Attorney General Letitia James landed an early boost to her reelection campaign on Wednesday, scoring endorsements from two politically powerful unions.
1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and 32BJ SEIU, two chapters of the Service Employees International Union that collectively represent more than 380,000 New Yorkers, threw their weight behind James.
James, a Democrat from Brooklyn who briefly entered the governor’s race in the fall, appears to have a clear path to reelection. But the campaign is still taking shape.
“Tish has been unwavering in her support for our members,” Kyle Bragg, president of 32BJ SEIU, said in a statement. “She has marched with us, advocated for us, and has taken on fights in the interests of all working New Yorkers.”
In a statement of her own, James said the two unions “represent some of the hardest working New Yorkers” and that she is “proud to have their support.”
“I look forward to continuing the fight to safeguard the rights of working people across this state,” James added in the statement. She was endorsed Monday by the powerful Hotel Trades Council.
When she abruptly exited the governor’s race on Dec. 9, James pointed to significant cases she still wanted to pursue. She is conducting closely watched civil and criminal probes into possible fraud by former President Donald Trump’s sprawling family business.
James’ gubernatorial campaign had been considered the most significant primary roadblock for Gov. Hochul. But Hochul, a former congresswoman from Buffalo, led in early polling.
Rumors have bubbled up that disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat and former state attorney general, might be considering a primary campaign against James.
Her office released the bombshell report in August that found Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women, and that led to his resignation.
He has offered fierce denials of the harassment allegations. And his spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, has described James’ investigation as politically motivated.
But a separate Assembly report released in November described the evidence of Cuomo’s sexual misconduct as “overwhelming.”