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Suozzi offi cially launches bid for governor
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | DEC. 3 - DEC. 9, 2021 15
BY MORGAN C. MULLINGS
Democratic Congressman
Tom Suozzi (D-Queens/Long
Island) announced Monday
at a virtual press conference
that he is officially running
for governor in 2022, and he
believes that every job he
has had leads up to championing
the executive branch
of New York state.
The former mayor of Glen
Cove and Nassau County
executive now describes
himself as a “commonsense
Democrat” representing
parts of Queens and Long Island
in Congress.
“I’m the only one with
a proven executive experience.
I’ve got a record of
doing this stuff and getting
stuff done. And again, I’m
a common sense Democrat.
I don’t pander,” Suozzi said
via Zoom.
“I think that people are
concerned about COVID
in the economy. They’re
concerned about property
taxes. They’re concerned
about income taxes. They’re
concerned about crime,” he
said, and will be campaigning
to prove that he can address
these problems.
He has been compared to
current Governor Kathy Hochul
and former Governor
Andrew Cuomo, but said he
wants to run in the “Suozzi
lane” rather than just continue
their work.
One thing he definitely is
not: a progressive.
He’ll be in stark opposition
to liberal leader and
Public Advocate Jumaane
Williams, who confirmed
his run earlier in November.
It’s more crowded close
to the center of the Democratic
ticket, with Governor
Kathy Hochul and Attorney
General Letitia James also
announcing runs. “It’s not
about being politically correct.
It’s about doing the correct
thing to actually help
people,” he said.
Suozzi has a proven track
record of reaching across
the aisle despite his own politics.
He currently serves as
vice chair of the Congressional
Problem Solvers Caucus,
a bipartisan effort in Washington
that works across
party lines to complete initiatives
they agree on.
“I’ll work with anybody.
I’ll work with Democrats.
I’ll work with Republicans.
I’ll work with progressives.
I’ll work with moderates. I’ll
work with anybody to actually
solve problems and get
things done on behalf of the
people that I serve. I’ve got
a proven record throughout
my career of always doing
that,” he said.
In his campaign video,
Suozzi features Wayne J.
Hall, former mayor of Hempstead
and Louise Skolnik,
former Nassau County director
of social services, as
two of his main supporters.
“He’s really interested in
other people,” Skolnik said.
But as governor, he’ll be
inheriting a host of problems,
including yet another
variant of COVID-19. Governor
Hochul announced
another state of emergency
on Sunday in light of the
omicron variant, though it
hasn’t been detected in New
York state yet.
“We have to address the
issue of COVID constantly
every single day working
with the scientists and the
Health Department officials.
It’s got to be always
top of mind or it’s going to
get away from us the way it
is right now,” Suozzi said of
Hochul’s announcement. He
also advocated for the COVID
19 vaccine booster shots
during the call.
This announcement to
run for governor comes just
after he declined Mayorelect
Eric Adams’ invitation
to join him as deputy mayor
of New York City. Suozzi said
Adams knew he was considering
a run for governor.
“I just believe that I can
best help the mayor of New
York City and other local
elected officials throughout
the state succeed by being
the governor, because I understand
I understand what
mayors go through,” he said,
adding that he has a great
relationship with Adams.
Though his gubernatorial
campaign will likely end his
bid to retain his Congressional
seat in a purple district,
Suozzi did not completely
rule out becoming a candidate
for Congress again.
He said he currently has
about $3 million in his congressional
account that he
will likely be using it the
race for governor.
One of the other challengers
in the race, state Attorney
General Letitia James,
released a statement in response
to his candidacy.
“We welcome Representative
Tom Suozzi to the campaign.
In a short time, there
has been a groundswell of
excitement and enthusiasm
around Attorney General Letitia
James’ historic candidacy
because New Yorkers
know we need a change maker
who can break the status quo
as our next governor, and the
only person who can deliver
that transformational change
is Letitia James,” she wrote.
Courtesy of Suozzi’s office
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