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Letitia James now finds herself caught in this changing landscape. While her favorability ratings are better than Governor Hochul’s, they’re still far from strong. A Siena College poll earlier this year revealed James has just a 40% favorable rating, with 33% viewing her unfavorably. For a top Democrat in a traditionally blue state, those numbers are troubling.
And it doesn’t end there. The internal war brewing within the Democratic Party may turn into a full-blown political feud, thanks to a potential comeback by former Governor Andrew Cuomo. As City Journal notes, Cuomo is considering a run for mayor of New York City—and that could spell disaster for James.
The rivalry between Cuomo and James is no secret. Cuomo has made it clear he blames her for his forced resignation in 2021, and insiders believe he would waste no opportunity to derail her campaign. “A Mayor Cuomo might have the motivation and—by simply telling Democratic allies not to help James’s campaign—the ability to prevent James from getting that all-important 65 percent of the New York City vote in her 2026 reelection bid,” City Journal reported.
That 65 percent is more than a benchmark—it’s a lifeline. Democrats need it to win statewide races in New York. While Kamala Harris and Kathy Hochul managed to barely scrape past that number in previous elections, they did so with far less friction and far more party unity than James is likely to enjoy.
As if that weren’t enough, James is now staring down the barrel of a growing legal scandal. In early April, forensic accountant and investigator Sam Antar dropped a bombshell: the attorney general allegedly claimed a Virginia home as her primary residence to secure favorable mortgage terms. The accusation raised serious questions about James’ integrity—especially considering her high-profile legal assault on Donald Trump for, ironically, mortgage-related fraud.
The Trump-aligned Federal Housing Finance Agency jumped on the allegations immediately. The agency’s head claimed James also made “false claims” about a Brooklyn property she owns, and the Department of Justice has reportedly opened an investigation into her financial disclosures.
It’s a scandal tailor-made for political blowback. James may have hoped to ride the momentum of her Trump prosecution into a second term, but the tables are turning. The very same legal scrutiny she turned on her political enemies is now being directed back at her.
Letitia James once looked untouchable in New York politics. But today, she’s watching her political future slip further and further from secure. A shaky base, rising GOP strength, party division, and a personal legal cloud all combine to create a nightmare scenario for her 2026 campaign.
