Andrew Giuliani enters race for New York governor

ALBANY, N.Y. - Andrew Giuliani officially entered the race for New York governor on Tuesday, joining a growing Republican field for the 2022 election.

The son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been talking about running for governor for several months, but said Tuesday he will tour the state on a message of cutting crime in New York City, lowering taxes and offering more school choice for students and parents.

"I am optimistic we are going to turn around New York state, but it has to be now," Giuliani, 35, said on "The Joe Piscopo Show" on Manhattan radio.

Republicans have not won a statewide race in New York since 2002, when then-Gov. George Pataki secured a third term.

But the GOP has renewed hope that it can reclaim the governor's seat amid ongoing scandals surrounding Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose future is uncertain as multiple investigations probe sexual harassment allegations against him, the underreporting of COVID-19 nursing home deaths and the details of his $5 million book deal last year.

As a result, Republicans are being more aggressive in getting into the governor's race.

Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin appears to the frontrunner for the party's nomination as he already locked up endorsements from many of the state's largest county leaders.

Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino also entered the race last week. He ran and lost against Cuomo in 2014.

But Giuliani, a former aide to President Donald Trump, brings a high-profile name to the race and a fundraising network.

He pledged Tuesday to restore law and order to the city, which he said his father did during his tenure as mayor from 1994 through 2001.

"New York should be the safest large city in the world," the younger Giuliani said on the radio show.

Still, his father is at the center of a federal investigation into his business dealings in Ukraine, and FBI agents recently raided the former mayor's Manhattan apartment.

The father and son have close ties to Trump. Rudy Giuliani was his loyal ally through his campaigns and tenure in the White House and served as his personal attorney during their election fraud cases that were all rejected.

And the younger Giuliani also worked on the campaigns and was part the Trump White House, first as associate director of the Office of Public Liaison and then as a special assistant focused on economic and tax policy.

He said he spoke to Trump and his father before his announcement Tuesday.

Giuliani said Trump joked that a debate between the younger Giuliani and Cuomo "could fill the Garden with that fight."

How his close ties to Trump and his scandal-scarred father will play across New York is uncertain, though.

Trump lost heavily in his home state in both presidential elections, and Rudy's star as "America's mayor" after the 9/11 terrorist attacks has been tarnished by his legal troubles and own failed run for president.

But the younger Giuliani said he's confident he can emerge from the crowded GOP field and beat whomever is the Democratic nominee in 2022.

"I always believe New York will come back, but I don’t want to wait until I’m a grandfather for it to come back," he said.

More: Rob Astorino, former Westchester executive, launches another bid for New York governor

More: With scandals engulfing Andrew Cuomo, candidates are eyeing a 2022 run for NY governor

Joseph Spector is the Government and Politics Editor for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Group, overseeing coverage in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. He can be reached at JSPECTOR@Gannett.com or followed on Twitter: @GannettAlbany

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Why Andrew Giuliani, Rudy's son, just entered the race for New York governor