Former hedge fund manager announces GOP bid for New York governor

Former hedge fund manager Harry Wilson announced this week he is running for the Republican nomination for governor of New York.

Wilson launched his campaign on Tuesday, days before the New York GOP convention is set to begin. 

“Our state is totally broken. Rising crime, sky-high taxes, closed schools, corrupt politicians,” Wilson tweeted with a campaign announcement video. 

“I’ve spent my career turning around failing organizations. Let’s get this done,” he added.

In the video, Wilson said he will focus on the state budget to “provide better services at a lower cost.”

He went after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and current Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), saying he will lower taxes, repeal cashless bail, give more resources to the police and fire district attorneys “who don’t enforce the law.”

Wilson will face three Republican primary opponents. 

Wilson ran for state comptroller in 2010, coming close to beating his Democratic opponent in the statewide race.

“The second thing is, in the last 20 years, even though I’ve only run for office once, I have had the most successful Republican campaign statewide of anybody in 20 years,” Wilson told WAMC radio.

Whoever wins the Republican nomination will have a steep uphill climb in the general election in a solidly blue state.