Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is slated to announce his bid for mayor of New York City, sources familiar with the matter say.
The 45-year-old, who has been focused on his nonprofit Humanity Forward, is now in talks with local leaders about the possible run, according to Eyewitness News.
If confirmed, Yang will be the second Asian American candidate to campaign for the position, following State Sen. John Liu in 2013. Liu served as the city’s comptroller prior to his bid.
J.P. Morgan executive Arthur Chang is also planning to run for mayor. He previously led NYC Votes, the Campaign Finance Board’s voter outreach program.
Yang spoke with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson on Dec. 8 to seek advice, according to The New York Times. This week, he is set to visit civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton after returning from Georgia, where he temporarily relocated to help Democrats win the U.S. Senate.
Yang has reportedly tapped political strategists Bradley Tusk and Chris Coffey. Both men worked as advisers for former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Yang is expected to announce his candidacy in January, six months ahead of the mayoral primaries on June 22, 2021.
“It sounds like Andrew Yang is running for mayor and seems excited about his path to win,” a source who spoke to Yang told Politico.
So far, a total of 29 candidates have registered to run for the post. Whoever succeeds Mayor Bill de Blasio will be responsible for leading the city to COVID-19 recovery.
“The story is COVID and it will always be COVID,” Malik Wright, the chief of staff to Bronx Assemblyman Kenny Burgos and the political director for the Manhattan Democratic Party, told the Wall Street Journal. “We all experienced it, it’s a collective trauma, and we’re going to be looking for a person who can manage the aftermath of Covid for the next four years.”
