Son of Rudy: Andrew Giuliani seeks Republican nomination for New York governor

Andrew Giuliani wants the Republican nomination for governor of New York, potentially following his father Rudy into politics. Photo / Mary Altaffer, AP, File

Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, announced Tuesday he is seeking the Republican nomination for governor of New York, potentially setting up a battle with third-term incumbent Democrat Andrew Cuomo.

"Giuliani vs. Cuomo. Holy smokes. It's Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier," the 35-year-old said in an interview with the New York Post.

He also posted a video on Twitter that assailed Cuomo for, among other things, barring gatherings and closing businesses and schools as the coronavirus began killing thousands of New Yorkers last March.

"At the first sign of a problem, they chose to shut us down. They take away our freedoms. They quarantine healthy people," Giuliani said.

https://t.co/b3CO2Ktz6b
TOGETHER, WE WILL BRING BACK NEW YORK! Giuliani For Governor 2022#NYForGiuliani2022 pic.twitter.com/q537d7fNNw

— Andrew H. Giuliani (@AndrewHGiuliani) May 18, 2021

Giuliani served as a White House aide under former President Donald Trump and has more recently been a commentator for the conservative network Newsmax. He has never run for public office.

Andrew Giuliani first came to public attention at his father's 1994 mayoral inauguration when, at age 7, he mimicked his father's gestures at the podium and repeated some of his words. The spotlight-stealing antics were lampooned by Chris Farley on Saturday Night Live.

Young Andrew Giuliani, left, gestures while his father Rudolph Giuliani speaks after being sworn-in as the 107th mayor of New York City. Photo / Mark Lennihan, AP, File

Giuliani was recruited for the golf team at Duke University but sued the university in 2008, saying he had been improperly cut from the team. Duke said the cut was based on bullying behavior, which Giuliani denied. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2010.

Giuliani was present last month when federal agents raided his father's Manhattan home as part of an investigation into the business dealings of the elder Giuliani during his time as Trump's personal lawyer. The younger Giuliani told reporters the raids on his father's home and office were "disgusting" and "absolutely absurd".

To win the Republican nomination in 2022, he will have to get past two far more seasoned politicians already in the race: US Rep. Lee Zeldin, a well-funded Trump standard-bearer on Long Island, and former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.

Andrew Giuliani, son of then-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, follows through as he hits on the 11th hole at the Westchester Country Club in 2001. Photo / Kathy Willens, AP, File

Astorino was the Republican nominee in 2014, losing to Cuomo by about 14 percentage points.

Cuomo, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment and is being investigated over his administration's handling of data on deaths of nursing home residents from COVID-19, has not announced whether he is running for a fourth term.

Most of New York's most prominent Democrats called on Cuomo to resign after the number of women accusing him of misconduct grew to include one aide who said he groped her breasts. - AP