“Anyone who underestimates his potential impact doesn’t understand the political moment we are in'
Andrew Yang speaking at a rally in in Washington Square Park last May. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images When Andrew Yang, the peppy UBI evangelist, dropped out of the presidential race last Tuesday, he immediately stoked speculation he was ready to seek another prestigious office: mayor of New York City.
With a few stray remarks, Yang set New York’s insular political world aflutter. Is he serious? Will he do it? Can he win? Those close to Yang continue to fan the flames. Yang’s energy and novelty could help him make a big splash in New York’s political pool, but he would still face some significant obstacles. The top three mayoral contenders — City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams — are all courting key local constituencies that may view Yang skeptically. Yang never caught on with black voters.
Yang has already signaled a willingness to bring a version of UBI to the five boroughs, but pushing his signature issue in New York would likely create some complicated dynamics with voters on the left that could cost him in the Democratic primary.
During his presidential campaign, Yang was unable to peel a significant number of voters away from Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren — voters who make up the progressive base critical to any insurgent mayoral coalition in New York. But there is also reason to think he’d at least have a chance to overcome progressive skepticism and attract a meaningful share of support in the city.
Candidate Yang would likely be an immediate draw in the city’s booming Asian community, particularly among Chinese-American voters. “Of course he’s viable!” gushed State Senator John Liu, the first and only Asian-American to ever win citywide office and a former mayoral contender himself. “Andrew is our Shirley Chisolm.”
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