Andrew Cuomo is build up his marketing campaign staff in his comeback bid for mayor, together with by bringing in political veterans who’ve been within the trenches with him earlier than.
One of many trusted friends drafted is longtime prime Democratic strategist Neal Kwatra, who’s becoming a member of the marketing campaign as a senior adviser.
Kwatra is the previous political director for the Resort Trades Council union and labored for Cuomo’s 2010 and 2014 gubernatorial runs.
The operative beforehand served as chief of workers for then-state Legal professional Basic Eric Schneiderman, working carefully with Melissa DeRosa, a key Cuomo adviser who served as his prime deputy throughout his third time period as governor.
Sources near the marketing campaign mentioned Ramon Contreras, who beforehand labored as an aide to chief of workers Stacy Lynch in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s workplace, might be concerned in constituent outreach.
Joshua Joseph, govt director of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus, has been tapped to conduct political outreach.
Mercury Public Affairs, the agency the place longtime Cuomo confidante Charlie King is a accomplice, might be a key advisor to the marketing campaign.
Mercury accomplice Jake Dilemani will play a very key function, sources mentioned.
Jason Elan, who beforehand labored for Cuomo and Hochul when he was his lieutenant governor, in addition to Lengthy Island Rep. Tom Suozzi’s gubernatorial marketing campaign for governor and former Suffolk County Govt Steve Bellone, will be a part of the communications store together with Esther Jensen, who labored on Cuomo’s 2018 marketing campaign for governor.
They may work with Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi.
Prisca Salazar-Rodriguez, who labored on Hillary Rodham Clinton’s marketing campaign for Senate and Ray McGuire’s 2021 marketing campaign for mayor, might be a senior adviser.
“In brief order the governor has put collectively a seasoned, skilled staff reflective of the expertise, management and competence that frankly has been lacking from the sector for a number of years,” a Cuomo marketing campaign supply mentioned.
Cuomo formally kicked off his bid for mayor Saturday, operating to unseat Mayor Eric Adams within the Democratic major.
He held a marketing campaign occasion Sunday defending his dealing with of the COVID-19 pandemic regardless of blowback from nursing-home households who misplaced family members in the course of the disaster, allegedly fueled by his controversial insurance policies.
Different candidates operating within the Democratic major embrace state Sens. Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie, metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, state Meeting Member Zohran Mamdani, ex-Assemblyman Michael Blake, former metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer and financier Whitney Tilson.
Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa is the declared Republican candidate for mayor.
Cuomo was compelled to resign from the governor’s seat in 2021 after being hit with a barrage of sexual misconduct claims, which he denies.
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