Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that he will not run for governor.
I am not going to be running for Governor of New York State, but I am going to devote every fiber of my being to fighting inequality in the state of New York. pic.twitter.com/cBZ03BpO0s
– Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) January 18, 2022
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“No, I am not running for governor of the state of New York,” de Blasio said in a video tweeted Tuesday morning from his block in Brooklyn. “But I am going to dedicate every fiber of my being to fighting inequality in New York State.”
The former mayor said he would share more news in the coming days about his plans.
For months, de Blasio had done nothing to quell “he will or he won’t” speculation, filing papers to lay the groundwork for a campaign and telling supporters he was seriously considering running, but also adamantly refusing to answer questions about whether he was really in, or when he would decide.
The two-term former mayor would have faced an uphill battle in a crowded primary that includes Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Public Defender Jumaane Williams and Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi.
Earlier Tuesday, a new Siena College poll put de Blasio some 34 points behind Hochul in a theoretical primary matchup.
That same poll found the former mayor had a net favorability rating of -23, nearly 40 points below the governor and one of the lowest for any politician or political body in the state.
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