Businessman and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang has filed paperwork to run for mayor of New York City, the city’s campaign funding agency confirmed Wednesday.
Yang’s archiving has the potential to immediately elevate a race that was becoming a competition between far-rooted politicians in the city. It comes just days after a new vote gives him a small lead among his colleagues fighting for mayor.
The entrepreneur unleashed a huge successor in the presidential Democratic primary with his call for universal basic income – $ 1,000 a month for every American over the age of 18, unaffiliated, funded by a tax on businesses that benefit from automation. But his widespread popularity on the Internet does not translate into voices as he had hoped.
He has been widely reported to be considering a mayoral bid, and the public political poll released Monday was the second vote in recent weeks to show him with a lead over Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
According to the PPP poll, Yang would get 17 percent support in a Democratic primary. That gives him a 1-point lead over Adams, with all other candidates at least 10 points left.
However, the field is far from clear. About 40 percent of voters said they were not sure who they would support, and the vote also ruled out several declared or potential candidates, including the rep. Max Rose, who recently filed papers to explore a race.
NYC’s primary election will take place on June 22 next year. As of Tuesday, at least 35 people had submitted papers to the Treasury to run for mayor.