May 18, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Andrew Giuliani announces run for New York governor

Jacob Knutson

Andrew Giuliani during a press conference in New York City on May 18. Photo: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, announced Tuesday that he is seeking the Republican nomination for governor of New York in 2022, according to NBC News.

Why it matters: Giuliani could face New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a general election. Cuomo is expected to run for reelection despite facing an impeachment investigation stemming from multiple sexual misconduct allegations, and a federal probe into his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in nursing homes.

Context: Giuliani has never held elected office, but served in the Trump administration as a special assistant to the president and associate director of the Office of Public Liaison.

The announcement comes at a troubling legal moment for his father, who was former President Trump's lawyer. Federal investigators executed a search warrant on Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan apartment last month as part of an investigation into Giuliani's dealings in Ukraine.

What to watch: Giuliani will run in the primary against Rep. Lee Zeldin, another Trump supporter and friend of the Trump family, who announced his run for governor last month.

What they're saying: “I’m a politician out of the womb. It’s in my DNA,” Andrew Giuliani, a Republican, told the New York Post in an interview Tuesday.

“Giuliani vs. Cuomo. Holy smokes. It’s Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier. We can sell tickets at Madison Square Garden.”

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Andrew Giuliani announces run for New York governor

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