MSNBC Contributor Maya Wiley Leaving Network to Run for New York City Mayor: Report

MSNBC contributor Maya Wiley is reportedly leaving the network to run for New York City mayor at the end of Bill de Blasio’s two terms in 2021, per the The New York Times. Wiley, a former adviser to de Blasio, would be the first woman to become the city’s mayor.

Wiley will be joining Eric Adams, Corey Johnson, Loree Sutton, Shaun Donovan, and Scott Stringer as candidates who said they will run in 2021. Some have also called on community advocate Jumaane Williams to enter into the race, as well.

Wiley is a civil rights lawyer and activist. She was appointed as counsel to de Blasio in 2014 and was the head of his School Diversity Advisory Group. She has been an MSNBC legal analyst since 2018 and regularly appeared The Beat with Ari Melber on MSNBC. She will be on the network this week to discuss Attorney General Bill Barr’s testimony to the House Judiciary Committee.

The New York Post reported that Wiley was seeking support for a mayoral run on Monday. New York state senator Luis Sepulveda said he was interested in getting more people of color into public office and Wiley asked for her support, too.

The city’s last two mayors — de Blasio and Mike Bloomberg — ran for president in 2020. de Blasio is the first democratic mayor since 1993 when David Dinkins held one term in office.