New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday that she is dropping out of the race for New York governor.
“I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general,” James, 63, wrote in a statement on Twitter.
“There are a number of important investigations and cases that are underway, and I intend to finish the job,” James continued.
James said she will run instead for re-election as state attorney general.
“I am running for re-election to complete the work New Yorkers elected me to do,” she tweeted.
Her announcement came the same day it was revealed that James’ office is seeking to question former President Donald Trump under oath as part of her civil fraud investigation into the Trump Organization. James’ office is probing whether the Trump Organization committed financial fraud regarding the valuations of its properties to banks and tax authorities, according to NBC.
James has requested a deposition from Trump on January 7 at her New York office.
James announced her gubernatorial run in late October.
“New Yorkers need a governor who isn’t afraid to stand up to powerful interests on behalf of the vulnerable. Throughout my career, I’ve taken on big forces and New Yorkers know I will never back down when it comes to fighting for them,” James said in a statement at the time.
In a video accompanying her announcement, the former New York City Council member from Brooklyn touted that she has “sued the Trump administration seventy-six times, but who’s counting?”
She also referenced her investigation into former Governor Andrew Cuomo over sexual harassment claims against him that eventually led to his resignation in August.
“I’ve held accountable those who mistreat and harass women in the workplace, no matter how powerful the offenders,” she said.
The day before James announced her campaign for governor, prosecutors charged the former governor with forcible touching, a misdemeanor that is punishable by up to one year in prison. She also investigated nursing home deaths in New York, an issue that dogged Cuomo for months. Her investigation found that the state may have undercounted nursing home deaths from COVID-19 by as much as 50%.
James’ sudden withdrawal from the race nixes what was expected to be a fierce Democratic primary battle with current Governor Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s former lieutenant governor, who assumed office when he resigned. Hochul is the first female governor of New York.
Recent polls showed that James would have faced a difficult path to beating Hochul, at least initially.
Hochul led her Democratic challengers at 36%, while James was at 18%, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was at 10%, and Rep. Tom Suozzi and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio both at 6%, according to a Siena College Research Institute survey released this week.
James and Hochul had similar favorable ratings among Democratic voters according to the poll, however, James at 56%, and Hochul at 57%.