Former Mayor Bill de Blasio says he won’t run for Congress in newly redrawn district

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that he won’t make a run in New York’s recently redrawn 11th congressional district after making calls earlier this month to potential supporters.

“I’ve represented the neighborhoods of the 11th CD for years and I love the people who live here. It was gratifying to connect with community and elected leaders while I considered a run. I’m certain a progressive can win this seat and serve us in Washington,” the ex-pol tweeted Tuesday. 

“Back in January, I made a decision to focus on advocating for policies that would continue to drive down income inequality in New York – one of my proudest achievements. I’m going to stick with that decision – it was the right one then and it remains so.”

Democratic state lawmakers added liberal parts of Brooklyn — including de Blasio’s own neighborhood, Park Slope — to the traditionally conservative Staten Island, creating a new 11th district under the redistricting plan passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Kathy Hochul
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announces the creation of the Office of the Chief Disability Officer in Troy on February 14, 2022 .
Mike Groll/Office of Governor Ka
US Capitol
The United States Capitol Building, the seat of Congress, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
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Rep. Nicole Malliotakis
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis speaks during a House Select Subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 19, 2021.
AP

Sources said de Blasio was making calls about launching a primary challenge against former Congressman Max Rose, who has already declared he’ll run for his old seat against Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island, Brooklyn) who beat him in 2020.

“For once, Bill de Blasio made a wise decision. He knows that in the 2017 race for mayor, Nicole Malliotakis beat him by double-digits in the neighborhoods that  make up the new 11th Congressional District and she’ll beat whichever liberal the Democrats run this year,” Malliotakis campaign spokesman Rob Ryan told The Post.

Malliotakis lost her 2017 mayoral bid against de Blasio, but clinched 70 percent of Staten Island vote.

Since he’s been out of a job, de Blasio also abandoned hopes of running for governor this year against Hochul. During his second mayoral term, he also launched a short-lived presidential bid.

source: nypost.com