Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang files paperwork for NYC mayoral run

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is exploring a run for mayor of New York, according to the city’s campaign finance board.

Yang made his exploration formal Wednesday by filing paperwork with the New York City Campaign Finance Board indicating he has formed a mayoral campaign committee, Yang for New York, Inc.

This is a procedural step that allows him to begin raising money for a possible run.

Rumors that Yang would run for mayor have swirled for months. A survey from Public Policy Polling earlier this week found Yang was the top choice among potential Democratic mayoral candidates in New York City. When potential voters were asked who they would vote for, 17% chose Yang. Eric Adams, the borough president of Brooklyn, scored 16% of support.

The self-proclaimed "math guy" joins a crowded mayoral field that already includes a finance expert, Ray McGuire, a former vice chairman at Citigroup.

Yang was an early candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and ran on a platform focused around implementing a universal basic income. His "freedom dividend" plan would have provided each American over the age of 18 a $1,000 check from the government each month.

His campaign platform also included criticism of automation and a plan to greater tax big tech companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon.

The breakthrough candidate raised tens of millions for his campaign, the majority of which were small donations under $200, signifying strong backing from an energetic group of supporters.

Yang ended his run for president in February, having outlasted other New York candidates Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and current New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. When he concluded his campaign, he indicated a possibility of running for president again in 2024.

"The problems aren't likely to go away and as long as the problems are still there, I'd like to help solve them," he said at the time. "So certainly I'm very open to running again if that's the best way to serve."

Yang is the founder of Venture for America, a nonprofit that trains college graduates interested in entrepreneurship. He also briefly worked as a corporate lawyer, founded a tech startup that ultimately failed and served as CEO of Manhattan Prep, a test-preparation company.

Born in Schenectady, New York, to Taiwanese immigrants, Yang is now a resident of Manhattan, according to his voter registration.