Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi will announce by the end of the month if he will seek his party's nomination for governor of New York. 

But first, Suozzi told reporters in a virtual news conference he has to determine if he can get through a Democratic primary successfully. 

"The factors are whether I can win or not," he said. "I would love to be governor of New York state." 

Suozzi, a Long Island congressman and former Nassau County executive, would be the latest entrant in what could become an unusally crowded field in the gubernatorial campaign. 

His bid would also be a test for whether a suburban Democrat with moderate positions could win a party primary in a heavily Democratic state like New York and after the party received a drubbing nationally in elections around the country this year. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul has already indicated she will seek a full term next year, and Attorney General Letitia James declared her candidacy last week. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has filed to run as well. 

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who leaves office at the end of the year, has also filed to create an exploratory committee for a potential campaign. 

Suozzi in a virtual news conference with reporters held on Zoom Thursday afternoon indicated he would offer a more moderate brand of policy prescriptions for Democrats that focuses on taxes and pubic safety. 

"The American public does not support a lot of the talk coming out of the far left as well as the far right," Suozzi said. 

Suozzi endorsed Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown's write-in campaign after losing his primary to Democratic socialist India Walton. He has spent much of the last several months pushing to lift a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions as part of a broader social spending bill.

Suozzi previously ran for governor in 2006, losing the nomination Eliot Spitzer.

In his news conference, he twice quoted New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams, who ran on a platform of public safety. 

Suozzi blamed Democratic problems and losses in Tuesday's elections on Republicans who have "weaponized" issues like bail reform, as well as socialists within the Democratic Party. 

In his own home county of Nassau, Democratic state Sen. Todd Kaminsky lost what was considered a win-able race for district attorney against Republican Ann Donnelly. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran lost her re-election to Republican Bruce Blakeman in a county that had been trending toward Democrats in recent elections.

Voters, Suozzi said, "just want the politicians to stop all their chirping and their back and forth and to just get stuff done."

Suozzi said he would seek changes to the bail laws if elected governor, saying "it's gone too far." 

"People have to feel safe," he said. "You have to educate the public." 

But Suozzi also pointed to issues where he lines up with more progressive Democrats, including efforts to combat climate change and equality.

"I'm a good Democrat," he said.