Andrew Yang’s Run For New York City Mayor Is Now Official

Andrew Yang, who rose to prominence during a long-shot presidential run, is officially throwing his hat into next year’s New York City mayoral race.

The city Campaign Finance Board confirmed that Yang registered his campaign with it on Wednesday.

For months, city politicos have been speculating that Yang might jump into the race, which already boasts a crowded field.

As of Wednesday, candidates include city Comptroller Scott Stringer, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s former legal adviser Maya Wiley, former HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, City Councilman Ron Menchaca and former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire, among several others.

A representative from Yang’s nonprofit Humanity Forward did not immediately return messages.

Yang, who became a household name during the Democratic primary for president for his support of universal basic income, is the second candidate with experience in the financial sector to enter the race.

A recent poll conducted by Education Reform Now Advocacy and released Monday had Yang leading the field with 17% of respondents saying they would support him.

“It makes it more difficult for Ray McGuire because now you have two finance guys,” said Fordham University political scientist Christina Greer. “He has a lot of name recognition so it makes it more difficult for people without that.”

Candidates with more experience in government, such as Garcia and Donavan, could stand to lose ground as a result, she added.

But Yang will also have to pivot away from a national campaign in which he worked hard to appeal to whites in middle America.

“A lot of the tropes he used to gain favor with white Americans isn’t going to play well in New York City,” Greer said. “I’m curious to see how he’ll pivot.”