Grimm seat: Brooklyn reps look at House vacancy
On both sides of the Narrows, as well as on both sides of the aisle, elected officials past and present are showing interest in the House of Representatives seat vacated January 5 by Michael Grimm, whose resignation followed a guilty plea on one count of felony tax evasion.
While Staten Island makes up some 70 percent of the 11th Congressional District, which also includes Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Gravesend, a couple of Brooklyn elected officials are also exploring a possible run even though no one from Brooklyn has ever represented the bi-borough district. In November, the Republican Grimm – though under indictment – won handily over Brooklynite Domenic Recchia, a former city councilmember, besting the Democratic challenger by some 13 percent.
Nonetheless, City Councilmember Vincent Gentile, a Democrat, is looking at the possibility of running, according to spokesperson Justin Brannan, who told this paper, “Councilman Gentile has been truly humbled by the outpouring of support he has received over the past few days and people urging him to run to fill the vacancy in the 11th Congressional District. Indeed, with over a decade serving as an assistant district attorney, many years representing Staten Island as a New York state senator, a strong legislative record and an unparalleled constituent service operation, Councilman Gentile is confident that he has a lot to offer and is giving the race much thought.”