As Andrew Giuliani was announcing his formal entry into the Republican field for governor of New York on Tuesday, one of his rivals was formalizing a prominent endorsement.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, who has been officially running for governor for the last month, announced through his campaign the backing of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a key figure from former President Donald Trump's administration.

“Serving as Secretary of State, I’ve seen how weak leaders like Andrew Cuomo take advantage of people and of power," Pompeo said in the endorsement. "Cuomo has abused his office to pass punishing high taxes and erode public safety, and now New Yorkers are fleeing the state. That’s why I’m supporting my good friend Lee Zeldin for governor. Lee, like me, is a soldier and I’ve known Lee a long time. He’s a family man who will step up and defend New York against the radical left.”

The Republicans in the early days of the gubernatorial race are each claiming a separate piece of the GOP base in New York, with Giuliani the younger a recognizable name for a generation of New Yorkers who recall his father's mayoral tenure, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino seeking to reclaim "the flag" planted after his loss to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014, to Zeldin locking up county party chairs at a rapid pace.

All this comes as Republicans are also hoping to recapture the successes of 1994, when George Pataki was able to unseat Democrat Mario Cuomo in a state with a much different enrollment and demographic setting than it has 27 years later.

Now, Cuomo's son has also signaled plans to seek a fourth term as he is beset by multiple controversies and investigations that imperil his political future.

Senate Health Committee Chairman Gustavo Rivera's office on Tuesday evening confirmed to Spectrum News what he told The New York Post: He spoke with federal investigators recently about the nursing home fatalities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the questions surrounding how the Cuomo administration reported the deaths of residents.

Cuomo is facing allegations of sexual harassment by multiple women, and his $5.1 million book deal about the pandemic is facing scrutiny for his use of government advisors to help him write it. The Assembly has a laundry list of investigative avenues it is undertaking as part of a potential impeachment of the governor.

And yet, Democrats continue to hold the advantage in New York given the size of their enrollment advantage over Republicans and how many of those voters continue to view Trump with toxicity.

Separating from Trump won't be like flipping a switch, either. The former president's influence can still be seen among lawmakers like Rep. Elise Stefanik in the North Country. Once considered a potential candidate for governor herself, Stefanik has risen in the House GOP's leadership ranks to become the No. 3 lawmaker there.

Stefanik did so while unseating Rep. Liz Cheney, a Trump critic who had questioned his conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election results.

All this is extraordinarily early for a gubernatorial race more than 12 months out, and a year from now in politics is many lifetimes, as the saying goes.

Announcing his bid on Tuesday for governor, Giuliani pointed to the nursing home controversy and vowed to bolster efforts to fight crime in New York.

"New York deserves a leader who will fight to make it the greatest state in America once again," Giuliani said. “I know we can defeat Andrew Cuomo in 2022.”