Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi enters field for New York governor. Why he's running

ALBANY - The Democratic primary for New York governor next year just got more crowded.

Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi, who first ran for governor in 2006 against Eliot Spitzer in a primary, on Monday entered the race for governor in 2022, throwing his hat into an increasingly packed race.

Suozzi, the former Nassau County executive, enters a Democratic race that already includes Gov. Kathy Hochul; Attorney General Letitia James; and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

"I’m running for governor of New York state. I feel great about it," Suozzi told reporters.

He added, "I have the background and proven ability to do this job."

The Democratic primary is in June, and the free-for-all of candidates comes after Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who was preparing for a fourth term, resigned in August.

Suozzi, 59, brings a suburban voice to the race and a moderate one along with Hochul, who is the first upstate governor since the 1920s and the first woman to hold the position.

He vowed to try to lower taxes and cut down on crime, as well as improve the environment and help restore the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He has served in Congress since 2017, and he recently helped land a deal in the U.S. House to raise the cap on local and state tax deductions, which has vexed the New York City suburbs because they have among the highest taxes in the nation.

He will have to forgo seeking re-election to Congress to run for governor.

"I'm a commonsense Democrat. I don't believe it's about going to the far left or the far right. It's about solving the problems that we face," he vowed.

Suozzi scoffed at being called a moderate Democrat who would compete with Hochul for votes in the suburbs and upstate, while James and Williams are from Brooklyn.

He said he has proven in Congress that he can work across the political spectrum.

"Everything I’ve done has prepared me for this particular job at this particular time," Suozzi told reporters.

"And I have a clear rationale to distinguish myself from the other candidates. I feel like this whole left, right extremist thing in our country is killing our country and it’s killing our state."

The likely Republican candidate for governor is another Long Island congressman: Rep. Lee Zeldin, who has secured a majority of support from GOP leaders.

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Joseph Spector is the Government and Politics Editor for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Group, overseeing coverage in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. He can be reached at JSPECTOR@Gannett.com or followed on Twitter: @GannettAlbany

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This article originally appeared on New York State Team: LI Rep. Tom Suozzi enters race for NY governor. Why he's running