State Attorney General Letitia James dropped out of the race for governor on Thursday and said she’ll instead seek a second term as New York’s chief law-enforcement official.

“I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general,” James said in a prepared statement.

“There are a number of important investigations and cases that are underway, and I intend to finish the job. I am running for re-election to complete the work New Yorkers elected me to do.”

The move followed heavy criticism from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that James’ investigation of sexual harassment allegations against him was politically motivated.

Cuomo resigned in August, one week after James — using outside investigators — released a report that accused him of harassing 11 women, including nine current or former state employees.James’ short-lived plan to challenge Cuomo’s successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, for the Democratic nomination next year lasted little more than a month.

James barely campaigned after announcing her bid for Albany’s Executive Mansion and polls showed her trailing Hochul by wide margins.

Recent polls showed James consistently trailing Hochul in Democratic primary matchups.

More than a third of Democrats said they would vote for Hochul – 36 percent – over just 18 percent who said they would back James, according to a new Siena College survey released Monday.

James meanwhile delivered the kill shot to Cuomo’s political career with the release of her bombshell sexual harassment report on Aug. 3.

The report concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women – including former and current state aides – and broke “multiple state and federal laws.”

The analysis prompted a joint federal investigation into the allegations by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, revealed through a NY Post a Freedom of Information request last week.

At least five district attorneys across the state then opened their own criminal investigation into the findings and Brittany Commisso – a state worker who accused Cuomo of groping her in the executive mansion in Dec. 2020 – filed a misdemeanor charge against him for forcible touching in Albany City Court.

Cuomo is expected to be arraigned on Jan. 7. 

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