Andrew Yang Files For NYC Mayoral Run

New York City NY

23 December, 2020

4:12 PM

Description

NEW YORK CITY – A long-rumored New York City mayoral bid by Andrew Yang is apparently official. Yang, who shot to prominence as a Democratic presidential candidate, filed mayoral campaign paperwork Wednesday, according to the city's campaign finance board. The entrepreneur is listed as "participant" in the 2021 mayoral race on the board's site, alongside other candidates like Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, city Comptroller Scott Stringer and list of other contenders that's almost too long to print. The news first broke Wednesday afternoon in the New York Daily News, but Yang had yet to make an official announcement — effectively making his run paperwork-only for the time being. His active Twitter account instead focused on potential $2,000 federal stimulus checks — an echo of his campaign plank calling for a monthly $1,000 "freedom dividend" for all Americans. "The only way to end this year is with a #2000StimulusCheck for the people," he tweeted. Yang boasts less government experience but more name recognition than nearly every candidate in the race to succeed Mayor Bill de Blasio. But this popularity apparently shot him to an early front runner in the race. A recent poll by Education Reform Now Advocacy New York found respondents favored him 17 percent to Adams' 16 percent. Other candidates besides Adams, Stringer and Yang include former sanitation chief Kathryn Garcia, former de Blasio aide Maya Wiley, City Council Member Carlos Menchaca and former Wall Street executive Ray McGuire in the race for mayor.