The jockeying is well underway among Democrats who want to succeed Gov. Andrew Cuomo after a scathing investigation by Attorney General Letitia James into sex harassment by the three-term head of state left his current and future political career on life support.
Democratic Party sources said it’s just a matter of time before Cuomo resigns or is removed from office by the legislature — with Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul ready to take the reins and finish out his term.
The next election for governor takes place in November 2022.
In the short term, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul — who broke her silence on the matter Tuesday, calling Cuomo’s behavior “repulsive” and calling for him to step down — would take over as acting governor if Cuomo steps down or is removed before his term ends on Dec. 31, 2021.
Serving the remainder of Cuomo’s term as governor would give Hochul, a former Buffalo-area congresswoman, a potential leg up to reclaim the seat in 2022.
“If Kathy Hochul is governor she will run for re-election next year,” a source close to the lieutenant governor said.
Other Democrats have made overtures for a gubernatorial run — including Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Nassau/Queens), state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who on Monday did not rule out throwing his hat in the ring, sources said.
And James herself would be a formidable candidate for governor, Democratic Party sources said.
The AG would have the support of Brooklyn Democratic Party chairwoman Rodneyse Bichotte, who also serves in the state Assembly. Brooklyn has the largest number of registered Democrats of any county in the state.
“Rodneyse would support Tish James for governor — if she runs,” a spokesperson for Bichotte said.
Team Cuomo claimed James was politically motivated and weighing a run for governor before she issued her investigative report on the governor.
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams — in a recent Post interview — also would not rule out a run for governor. He is running for re-election for public advocate on Nov. 2.
Williams ran for lieutenant governor in 2018, losing narrowly to Hochul in the Democratic primary.
A Marist College Poll released Wednesday found that nearly 60 percent of New Yorkers now say Cuomo should resign, including 52 percent of Democrats.
Republicans who are seeking their party’s nomination for governor include Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and Andrew Giuliani, the son of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
