New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declined to say whether he’s running for governor as he unrolled sweeping education reforms Thursday morning.
De Blasio, a lame-duck mayor with Mayor-elect Eric Adams set to assume office on Jan. 1, dodged saying whether he’d pursue a gubernatorial bid. The question came as he unveiled proposals for education reform in New York, including a push for an all-year and all-day schedule in public schools.
“I’m going to be in public service no matter what, Joe. You know that. But what I’m talking about now is actually a vision,” he said Thursday morning on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “And I’m going to be focused on getting this done because what matters here is how do we change the lives of people in this state.”
“Well, I’m going to be in public service no matter what.”
— Mayor Bill de Blasio refuses to say whether he is planning to run for governor of New York, despite rolling out a new education plan for the state. pic.twitter.com/2nY2YNr1NQ
— The Recount (@therecount) November 18, 2021
His education plan also includes a universal 3-K and pre-K provision, an expansion on his signature policy issue that offers universal prekindergarten programs throughout New York City.
De Blasio, a failed 2020 presidential candidate, has been touted as a possible gubernatorial hopeful for months. He has made headlines for his contentious relationship with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who stepped down Aug. 24 amid a flurry of sexual harassment allegations, which he denies. Cuomo’s successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, has indicated she intends to run for a full term in 2022.
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A Sienna poll taken in October of 419 Democrats with a margin of error of 5.4 percentage points showed de Blasio at the bottom of the pack of five potential contenders for New York governor, with 6% favoring him. When Cuomo was removed from the list, de Blasio came in at second to last, with 10% of the vote.
De Blasio has an approval rating of 25%, with 56% of New York voters viewing him unfavorably, according to the poll.
