Anthony Weiner. (Photo: Twitter)

After weeks of hemming and hawing, it looks like ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner is finally ready to put his skates on and jump back onto the proverbial ice.

An unnamed source told the New York Post that Mr. Weiner is “definitely” running for mayor, and expects him to announce his bid sometime in the next 10 days--likely before Memorial Day, which just so happens to be the second anniversary of the fateful tweet that sent his career into free-fall.

Politico reported last night that Mr. Weiner’s campaign manager will be Danny Kedem, a recent Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee adviser who worked briefly on Mark Murphy’s failed bid to unseat GOP Rep. Michael Grimm last year.

But the choice of Mr. Kedem, who did not respond to emails or messages for comment, could be a troubling sign for Mr. Weiner as he tries to resurrect his battered image, political insiders and former associates said.

For one, Mr. Kedem is a relative unknown in the city, with minimal experience on high-crisis situations. He worked on just one previous race in the city, and then as a deputy more focused on fundraising, said one source who knows Mr. Kedem.

"I doubt Kedem was Weiner's first choice," said the source. "Weiner has slim pickings .... [Mr. Kedem's] never run a New York City campaign and doesn't know New York City press. [It's a] huge learning curve for him. That is bad for Weiner."

The source further said he was "shocked" that Mr. Kedem had signed on for the job

"He does have a lot of energy and a sense of humor and likes adventure. Still, this is a huge undertaking and it could blow up in his face," he said. "This will be the most high-profile race Kedem has ever done. And he knows all the challenges that come with Weiner as a mayoral candidate."

Another source who knows Mr. Kedem and other operatives in the race, described Mr. Kedem as an "OK technician," but said he was not in the same as league as many of the top staffers working for Mr. Weiner's soon-to-be opponents.

“It is clearly an inside the beltway hire, Weiner relying on D.C. operatives with limited knowledge of NYC," said the source.

But one former associate said Mr. Kedem's personality would likely be an asset going into the race, labeling him a "hardworking, savvy individual who called things like he saw them"

"[He] didn't bullshit when it came to making decisions or surveying the political landscape--which will probably be useful since he is managing the campaign of a politician who is the poster child for why snapchat exists," he added, referring to the popular app that deletes photos moments after they're sent.

The source also credited Ms. Kedem for overhauling Mr. Murphy's fund-raising operation. "If he had been there earlier, maybe Mark wouldn't have struggled on that front in the beginning," said the source.

In addition to the four months Mr. Kedem spent working for Mr. Murphy, his previous experience includes a number of mayoral and congressional races, including Claire McCaskill’s 2006 Senate Run, and a stint as a field organizer for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, according to his Linkedin page.

According to the Daily News, at least two people close to Mr. Weiner have been contacting political operatives to see if they will work for him. But his success has been mixed. Politico reported that Mr. Weiner has also decided on a press secretary and other positions--but said that a number of potential press hires had passed on the job.

Mr. Weiner did not respond to a request for comment, but more clues are likely to be revealed later this morning when the details of his latest campaign filing are posted by the city’s Campaign Finance Board. If his campaign's spending has escalated sharply, it would likely signal he is serious about the race.

He would have just four months to build his operation and make his case to voters ahead of the primary, but a recent poll found he would enter the race in second place, beating everyone but front-runner Christine Quinn.

(Photo: Getty)

Comptroller John Liu is finally ready to take the plunge.

Mr. Liu, the last of the remaining major Democratic mayoral candidates who has yet to declare his electoral intentions, will formally announce his candidacy Sunday afternoon, according to multiple sources.

Although Mr. Liu's campaign is still an unofficial one, that hasn't stopped him from attending forums and debates for the mayor's race, and the announcement will not come as a surprise to observers who have come to see his candidacy as inevitable.

One of Mr. Liu's rivals in the Democratic primary, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, announced her own campaign last Sunday, while Public Advocate Bill de Blasio formalized his bid in January and former Comptroller Bill Thompson made his intentions clear in a series of interviews at the start of 2010.

Mr. Liu's main campaign press contact, who operates out of an unnamed email account, did not return a request for comment earlier this morning.

Update (6:18 p.m.): Mr. Liu's anonymous campaign spokesperson confirmed the news with the following note:

Thanks for starting that buzz with your post, Colin!

Yes, announcement will be Sunday.

Councilwoman Liz Crowley formally announced her campaign for Congress this afternoon standing beneath the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows – Corona Park.

"As a daughter from Queens, from a very young age I felt the calling for public service," she declared with her supporters standing behind her.

Her campaign message relied heavily on broad Democratic themes:

"Washington needs a strong voice for Queens. A voice that will fight to protect key services like Social Security and Medicare. A voice that will fight to protect and encourage job growth by investing in our infrastructure. A voice that knows that a sound education is the making of the American dream. A voice that understands the importance of protecting women's rights and access to health care. A voice that understands the threats of terrorism."

After the event, she took only a handful of questions before briefly talking to supporters and being whisked away from reporters.

Notably, in response to a question as to why the Queens County Democratic Party, run by her cousin, Congressman Joe Crowley, is supporting Assemblywoman Grace Meng instead of her, she praised both Ms. Meng and her other primary opponent, Assemblyman Rory Lancman, before contending the issue was more complex than Mr. Crowley's individual support.

"It's not one person, it's an organization," she said. "They come together and make a decision. However they too respect the democratic process and at the end of the day it'll be the people who live in the neighborhoods throughout the district ... that decide who the nominee is."

"I firmly that believe with all of the support I have, as soon as I am able to get my message out to the vast majority of voters, that they will choose me as the Democratic nominee," she added.

Watch Ms. Crowley's announcement event below:

Grace Meng accepts the nomination.

District Leaders and elected officials crowded into the Queens County Democrats' headquarters this morning to unanimously endorse Assemblywoman Grace Meng for the Congressional District Gary Ackerman spontaneously declined to run for last week. If Ms. Meng wins, she'll be the first Asian-American Member of Congress from New York.

Congressman Joe Crowley, who heads the Queens County Democratic Party, paid constant homage to the new district's demographic makeup when explaining his party's decision to back Ms. Meng. The new court-drawn map makes the 6th district plurality-Asian, but Mr. Crowley also argued for her ability to win throughout the eastern Queens seat.

"It is a very diverse district and I think Grace Meng has the ability to transcend her base of support, which is largely based in the Asian-American community," he told reporters after the meeting.

The elected officials nominating Ms. Meng -- Councilman Mark Weprin, Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz and State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky -- seemed to send a message of support for Ms. Meng to the district's substantial Jewish community as well.

"Two years ago ... I was delighted to have Grace and her husband Wayne over to our home for passover, believe it or not, for a Passover Seder, which she participated in and had a great time," Mr. Weprin said to introduce Ms. Meng.

Not present today were any of her potential challengers in the Democratic primary like Assemblyman Rory Lancman, State Senator Tony Avella, and Councilwoman Liz Crowley.

Mr. Crowley urged the other potential candidates, including his cousin Ms. Crowley, to rally behind Ms. Meng's candidacy.

"It's my hope that we as Democrrats can come back and get behind one candidate. I recognize that this is a Democratic primary and we're known for our spirited primaries from time to time," he said. However, he was confident Ms. Meng would ultimately be victorious, noting, "Queens likes to make history."

Mr. Lancman looks to be pushing his campaign full steam ahead despite Mr. Crowley's request. He's officially announcing his campaign at 3 p.m. today. Ms. Crowley is expected to announce soon.