Andrew Yang Files To Run For New York City Mayor
Entrepreneur and former Democratic Party presidential candidate, Andrew Yang, has filed paperwork to run for mayor of New York City, Campaign Finance Board confirmed Wednesday.
Per New York Daily News, in the Democratic primaries, Yang will compete against former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire, former Housing and Urban Development Department secretary Shaun Donovan, City Councilman Ron Menchaca, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and several others.
Yang rose to national prominence during the presidential primaries. His 2020 campaign was centered around universal basic income and his proposal to provide every American adult with a monthly stipend of $1,000.
According to Fordham University political scientist Christina Greer, Yang’s presence is guaranteed to change the dynamics of the race, given that the businessman is a well-known figure, unlike most of his competitors.
“It makes it more difficult for Ray McGuire because now you have two finance guys. He has a lot of name recognition so it makes it more difficult for people without that,” Greer said.
Education Reform Now Advocacy New York, a partner organization of Democrats for Education Reform, recently released a poll which showed Yang leading the crowded field of candidates.
In the survey, the former presidential contender received 17 percent support. Adams came in second with 16 percent. All the other candidates were far behind the two men.
The poll also found that New York City’s current mayor Bill de Blasio, whose second term will end next year, is not particular popular. A majority of Democratic voters said that they hold an unfavorable view of de Blasio and his overall favorability rating was at 39 percent.
Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that Yang “has begun to make overtures to several of the city’s political power brokers.”
The entrepreneur has reportedly met with New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss his mayoral campaign. Bradley Tusk and Chris Coffey, who worked for de Blasio’s predecessor Michael Bloomberg, will allegedly advise Yang.
Susan Kang, a political-science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told the NYT that Yang’s platform could resonate with New Yorkers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“His brand is very zeitgeisty in many ways. He’s made a name for himself by promoting universal programs at a time when everyone needs universal programs,” she said.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Yang has called for monthly stimulus checks. In June, he expressed support for a monthly stipend of up to $2,000 for all Americans.
