Syracuse political activist Howie Hawkins plans to launch his campaign for governor today, seeking the Green Party's nomination to take on Gov. Andrew Cuomo in November.
For Hawkins, 65, it will be his 22nd campaign for public office and his third consecutive bid for governor against Cuomo. Hawkins said last month that he was assembling a campaign team and would likely enter the governor's race to promote the Green Party's agenda.
In an interview Wednesday night, Hawkins said he plans to campaign as an "eco-socialist" and tout reforms that include a single-payer healthcare system, a ban on new fossil fuel plants and pipelines, and a switch to 100 percent clean, renewable energy within 15 years.
Hawkins said he also wants to promote public financing of political campaigns to curb corruption in Albany.
In the 2014 election, Hawkins received 184,419 votes, or about 5 percent of the statewide vote for governor. His vote total pushed the Green Party onto the fourth line of the New York ballot this year, surpassing the Independence and Working Families parties.