New Yorkers already got a preview of what an open race for state attorney general would look like in those brief two months when Letitia James tried running for governor in late 2021.
The ones eyeing the role then included state Sens. Shelley Mayer and Michael Gianaris, Assembly Member Clyde Vanel and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. And the top contenders to succeed James now might be the same as they were then.
Eric Gonzalez
The Brooklyn district attorney is all but the heir apparent for the job, the man who insiders say James would want to follow her. He was gathering a lot of support when planning a run for 2022, and he has managed to promote himself as a progressive prosecutor without earning the New York Post’s ire like Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Dan Goldman
The job he really wanted was AG and the lawyer only ran for Congress after James decided to hold on to her job. When she moves on, he’s likely to look again. First, Goldman has a reelection race, but he’s fine either way – if he wins, it shows he can withstand the progressive wave. If he loses, he’s got more time to count his money and plan for the next campaign.
Zephyr Teachout
The best name in New York politics finished second to James in the open 2018 race, and later worked in the AG’s office as an adviser. The law professor has stayed active in lefty politics and could have another race in her. New York’s socialist left has grown a lot since her 2014 gubernatorial campaign.
