Letitia James Backs Adrienne Adams For NYC Mayor To Block Cuomo's Return

New York State Attorney General Letitia James is supporting New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as a potential mayoral candidate to prevent former Governor Andrew Cuomo from making a political comeback.

A Democratic elected official revealed that James has been reaching out to gauge support for Adrienne Adams, who was preparing for retirement, the New York Post reported. There is concern that none of the current candidates can defeat Cuomo.

Adrienne's Mayoral Bid Gains Momentum as James Rallies Support

The idea of Adrienne running for mayor gained serious attention last week during a political event hosted by the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators in Albany.

James, who is a Democrat, spoke with Adrienne Adams during the event and reached out to key Democrats to gauge their support for her. Earlier this week, the council speaker called for Mayor Eric Adams to resign.

Adrienne Adam's Leadership: Criminal Justice Reforms & Voting Rights Advocacy

As council speaker, Adrienne Adams has led a progressive-leaning council, especially on criminal justice matters. She supported the controversial "How Many Stops" police reporting bill despite opposition from the mayor and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and played a key role in overriding City Hall's veto of the bill.

She also backed efforts to allow non-citizens with green cards to vote in city elections. If Adams enters the mayoral race, she could draw support away from former Governor Cuomo, particularly within the Black community.

Re-Election Struggles for Eric Adams

Eric Adams faces a difficult path to re-election, despite recently being cleared of criminal charges by President Donald Trump's administration. A lead prosecutor claimed the case was dismissed as part of a deal to help the White House deport migrants.

Meanwhile, Adams lost four deputy mayors, his approval ratings were very low, and he was denied public matching funds for his campaign.

Cuomo's Potential Comeback

Former Governor Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 over sexual misconduct allegations that he denies, is currently leading in the polls and is expected to announce his candidacy soon. He has $7.7 million in state campaign funds that he can transfer to a political action committee controlled by an ally.

While he is the most recognizable candidate, polls show he has both strong support and strong opposition from voters. Other candidates are already targeting him, and many Democratic leaders are uneasy about his confrontational approach to governance.