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Updated as of 5/20/2022 at 1:50p.m. ET: Bill de Blasio is running for Congress and shared the news on Twitter Friday:
“Wherever I go, people ask: can things get better? I say from my heart: YES, but WE have to make them better. In our neighborhoods and our nation, the way to save our democracy is to be part of it. So as I declare my candidacy in #NY10 I ask you to join us.”
See original story below:
Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has expressed interest in a run for Congress. Seats have opened in Brooklyn and Manhattan as a result of a redistricting plan, prompting the politician to possibly seize the opportunity.
On Wednesday, via Twitter, he shared that he has formed an exploratory committee for New York’s 10th Congressional District. The district includes Brooklyn areas of Park Slope and Borough Park in addition to Lower Manhattan.
“Our neighborhoods need help as we recover from Covid. Our nation needs help as democracy is threatened and working people struggle. I am ready to serve to continue the fight against inequality. Today I am forming an Exploratory Committee for the new #NY10,” de Blasio wrote.
According to Politico, at least four Democrat state lawmakers — Sens. Simcha Felder and Brad Hoylman as well as Assemblymembers Jo Anne Simon and Robert Carroll—confirmed they also may run. De Blasio left office at the end of 2021.
He briefly ran for President in 2019. Since leaving office, he’s made appearances on MSNBC and written about the Biden administration. In an op-ed he wrote for The Atlantic earlier this month entitled “Joe Biden Can Learn From My Mistakes,” he was candid about his own failures and how the President can become better because of them:
“As the mayor of New York City, I had one of the loudest megaphones in the country, and I failed to use it properly. Biden’s bully pulpit is a thousand times more powerful. He needs to use it to show that he truly empathizes with everyday Americans on the issues they care most about, such as inflation, public safety, and affordable health care.”
De Blasio faced intense scrutiny regarding how he handled everything from crime to Covid, which led to poor approval ratings his last two years as Mayor. He considered for running for Governor this year as well, but ultimately decided not to.
The primary contest has been pushed back from June to August 23.