Cuomo would be competitive against Hochul in governor's race poll finds

NEW YORK - A new poll shows that former governor Andrew Cuomo would be competitive in a primary race against Governor Kathy Hochul.

A Siena College poll released Monday shows Hochul with 38% support in a primary election and Cuomo with 30% support in a potential primary.  Rep. Tom Suozzi garnered 10% support and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams sat at 7% support in the potential 4-way matchup.

"The two are tied in New York City, likely home to a majority of Democratic primary voters. Hochul leads by eight points in the downstate suburbs and 25 points upstate. Cuomo has a two-to-one lead with Black Democrats and Hochul has a comparable lead among white Democrats, while Latinos are closely divided," said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said. "Interestingly, while Hochul leads among men by 15 points, she only leads with women by four points."

If Cuomo is not in the race it is a clear runaway for Hochul.

Hochul, Cuomo’s lieutenant governor, was sworn in as New York’s first female governor in August after Cuomo resigned amid multiple scandals. He quit instead of facing a potential impeachment trial over sexual harassment allegations, undercounting COVID nursing home deaths, and using state resources for his $5 million book deal.

FOX 5 News has reported that Cuomo is contemplating a political comeback and dangling the possibility he may run for his former job just six months after he resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.

Teasing a possible run for governor again, Cuomo left it open-ended whether he would run as a Democrat or as an independent candidate.

"I’m open to all options and I’m going to leave it at that," Cuomo said at a campaign-style speech two weeks ago to a crowd that started chanting "four more years, four more years."

Cuomo has blamed cancel culture for forcing him out of office.

He has been running TV ads across the state proclaiming his innocence.