A new Co/Efficient poll in New York finds that incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) would hold a small lead over Attorney General Letitia James (D) in a Democratic gubernatorial primary, 28% to 24% with 29% of voters undecided.

NBC Today: “Kathy Hochul, 62, is set to become the first female governor in New York history and the 57th governor overall when she is sworn into office Aug. 24 when Cuomo’s resignation takes effect. She said she plans on running for a full term in next year’s gubernatorial election.”

Said Hochul: “I fully expect to. I’m prepared for this. I’ve led a life working in every level of government from Congress to local government. I am the most prepared person to assume this responsibility, and I’m going to ask the voters at some point for their faith in me again.”

Politico: “The uncertainty has paralyzed much of New York’s Democratic political apparatus. State lawmakers have put their parallel impeachment investigation on a very slow burn. Cuomo has not revisited his pre-scandal pledge to run for a fourth term in 2022. And potential Democratic primary challengers are waiting to see if they’d face a wounded Cuomo, a vindicated Cuomo, or perhaps no Cuomo at all.”

A new Siena poll in New York finds 23% of voters say Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) should resign immediately, 39% say he should serve out his term but not seek re-election, and 33% say he should continue to serve and run for re-election.

Separately, 35% say they are prepared to re-elect Cuomo if he runs, while 56% would prefer “someone else.”

Andrew Giuliani received no support for his bid to be the next governor of New York in a secret vote by local Republican leaders this week, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports.

Instead, the party picked Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) as their preferred choice.

Olivia Nuzzi: “There is something uncomfortable about Giuliani’s campaign. If you watch him for long enough to ask what might compel a person to do a thing like this, you get the sense that the act of running is one of self-harm, of lashing himself in the void left by his father.”

“Is he out to prove something to Rudy or to show him — show us — what being Rudy’s son has done to him? Does he subconsciously want to hurt Rudy? You can’t tarnish a legacy that’s already been shattered, then lit on fire, then burned to a heap of ash, then sprinkled into the swamp and dissolved into a toxic vapor. Or can you?”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) reelection campaign is hosting a fundraising event later this month, even as his political future remains uncertain amid multiple probes into the three-term governor, The Hill reports.

A new Siena College poll finds a plurality of New York voters — 49 percent — say Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) should not resign from office.

But a majority of voters — 53 percent — say they prefer voting for someone else rather than re-electing him in 2022.

Nonetheless, a generic Democrat still leads a generic Republican in next year’s gubernatorial race by a 55% to 29%.

“Andrew Giuliani is embracing his familiar last name and ties to former President Donald Trump as he begins his Republican campaign for governor of New York, hoping those connections make him a national presence in the state race,” Bloomberg reports.

Said Giuliani: “They are a part of who I am, right? I mean I worked for four years for President Trump and I am my father’s son.”

He added: “That’s one advantage that I’ll truly be able to bring to this race: We’ll be able to make this a national race and truly be able to fundraise not just in the 62 counties of New York, but in the 50 states of America.”

If you’re a Republican running for governor in New York, making it a national race is the exact opposite strategy you should embrace.

“The truth is from an experience perspective, I may be 35 years old, but you gotta remember, I spent 32 years, parts of 32 years, in politics and in government. I’m the only announced candidate that has spent parts of five decades in politics. So I may look young, but I certainly feel a lot older.”

— Andrew Giuliani (R), in an interview on Fox News, about his run for New York governor.

Andrew Giuliani (R), the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, announced Tuesday that he’s officially running for governor of the state in 2022, NBC News reports.

Said Giuliani to the New York Post: “I’m a politician out of the womb. It’s in my DNA.”

He added: “Giuliani vs. Cuomo. Holy smokes. It’s Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier. We can sell tickets at Madison Square Garden.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo hasn’t had a lot of good news lately, but he would certainly welcome Giuliani as an opponent.

Former Westchester County executive Rob Astorino (R) formally entered the race for New York governor, News 12 reports.

“Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) appears to have wrapped up the 2022 Republican nomination Friday when he received backing from the leaders of two major Western New York party organizations,” the Buffalo News reports.

“He has now topped the necessary 50% of GOP state committee support to gain the nomination.”

Andrew Giuliani told CNN he is set to meet with former President Trump next week in Florida as he mulls a gubernatorial bid in New York.

Andrew Giuliani, a former top Trump aide and son of Rudy Giuliani, is “heavily considering” a bid for governor of New York in 2022, the Washington Examiner reports.

Said Giuliani: “I plan to run. Outside of anybody named Trump, I think I have the best chance to win and take the state back and I think there’s an opportunity in 2022 with a wounded Democratic candidate, whether it’s going to be Governor Cuomo, whether it’s going to be a radical Letitia James, whether it’s going to be a no name lieutenant governor, I think there’s a very, very real chance to win.”

John Catsimatidis (R) has been gearing up to run for New York City mayor, but with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) ongoing scandals, is now “considering a run for governor,” the New York Post reports.

A new Quinnipiac poll in New York finds a majority of voters do not want Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment, 55% to 40%.

However, voters also say by a 59% to 36% say that they would not like to see Cuomo run for reelection in 2022.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) has begun hiring staffers to work on a campaign for governor of New York, a clear sign he’s nearing a bid, Axios reports.