New Yorkers can breathe a sigh of relief since former mayor Bill de Blasio posted a 90-second video clip on Twitter announcing that he will not run for governor of New York State.
De Blasio appearing outside his Park Slope home, touted his record on education and policing before declaring, “No, I’m not going to be running for governor of New York State.”
The former mayor added, “But I am going to devote every fiber of my being to fight inequality in the state of New York.”
Breaking:
— Dr. Johnny (@drjohnny__) January 18, 2022
Bill de Blasio finally realizes entire state of New York hates him https://t.co/fasVkBRS7s
His decision not to launch his longshot bid for governor comes on the heels of discouraging poll numbers released in December, showing the 60 year old progressive Democrat with just 6% support among Democratic primary voters.
According to the Siena College poll, 36% of Democratic primary voters are in support of acting Gov. Kathy Hochul retaining the Governors Mansion in 2022. The poll also showed that among all voters, 55% had an unfavorable view of de Blasio.
During the brief video clip, de Blasio seemed to acknowledge the universal scorn he earned from a sizeable number of New Yorkers during his 8 years as mayor.
“Now, I made my fair share of mistakes. I was not good with groundhogs at all. Probably shouldn’t have gone to the gym,” he said, alluding to how in 2014 he dropped groundhog Staten Island Chuck (who later died from the injuries), and how he continued to go to the gym early in the coronavirus pandemic right before they closed down all over the state.
Despite being dubbed as the most unpopular and incompetent mayor since the late Mayor David Dinkins, de Blasio claimed that he “changed things in this town“, pointing to free pre-K, “hundreds of thousands of affordable apartments“, the Green New Deal, and cutting carbon emissions. He also addressed the pandemic, claiming that New York City went from the “epicenter” to “the safest place in this country“.
Before the poll, de Blasio started talking about a run for the governorship with his advisors after disgraced Governor Cuomo was forced to resign. When State Attorney General Letitia James dropped out of the running, de Blasio was by his own definition “on cloud nine”, hoping to take advantage at the dwindling primary competition.
However, de Blasio’s political maneuvering came as his approval ratings continued to sink, showing him less popular in deep blue New York State than former President Donald Trump.
Then came the December Siena College poll, which convinced de Blasio he couldn’t mount a competitive campaign against Governor Hochul.
Ironically, de Blasio still owes over $320,000 to New York taxpayers for security on his failed presidential bid in the 2020 Presidential Election.
So far, the Democratic field is still wide open after Governor Cuomo’s resignation, with Governor Kathy completing Cuomo’s current term, along with Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams all vying to become the 57th Governor of New York State.
On the Republican ticket thus far, the candidates include Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island, Andrew Giuliani, the son of former mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and former Westchester County executive Rob Astorino, who ran for governor in 2014.
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