City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito with supporters at a birthday fundraiser. (Photo: Facebook/mmarkviverito)

At a birthday fundraiser last night in East Harlem, friends and supporters gathered to toast City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito’s re-election bid for a redrawn district. But for the two-term progressive rabble-rouser, there is far more at stake than keeping her seat.

“We want to see her Speaker!” shouted one supporter as the group crowded around Ms. Viverito at the cozy El Kallejon on East 117th Street to hear her remarks.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, who is running for city comptroller, underscored the significance of the race, at a time when the speakership is up for grabs.

“I want you to know that I look forward to walking the streets of El Barrio with Melissa to make sure that she wins, that she has the mandate she needs for the next four years. Because you never know when her leadership skills will be called on to do some bigger things in city government,” Mr. Stringer said to applause, prompting calls of “Melissa for Speaker!” from the crowd.

Mr. Stringer has endorsed Ms. Mark-Viverito in her council race against a group of lesser-known challengers, but has not formally weighed in on the leadership contest.

Ms. Mark-Viverito is considered one of the leading contenders to succeed City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is running for mayor. The speakership won't be decided until a new class of council members takes office next year, but the wannabe speakers have nonetheless been busy jockeying behind the scenes, making appearances and supporting candidates who might deliver votes.

Harlem City Councilwoman Inez Dickens, a close ally of Ms. Quinn, is often introduced as "Speaker Inez Dickens" by supporters, while Ms. Mark-Viverito has made no secret that she, too, is interested in the race. Other names that have also been mentioned are Manhattan City Councilman Daniel Garodnick, Councilman Mark Weprin, from Queens and Jimmy Vacca from the Bronx.

Ms. Mark-Viverito's district was one of the most dramatically altered during this year's redistricting process, with a majority of its population now located in The Bronx. She has repeatedly accused Ms. Quinn of failing to reverse the changes for her own political gain--a charge that Quinn's office has denied.

But Ms. Viverito appeared Tuesday to be taking the new lines in stride.

“It has been an incredible honor and an incredible pleasure to serve district,” she told her supporters, who sipped on sangria and nibbled on passed Mexican hors d'oeuvres.

“It will be a very different district as of January,” she acknowledged. “We’re hoping the transition will be smooth and that we can ensure great representation.”

Mr. Stringer sounded a similar theme.

“Melissa has a primary and it's important that she not only win, but she win big. Because part of what she is about is about organizing and protecting and building coalitions to make sure her district is elevated in the public discourse," he said, after wishing her "feliz cumpleaños" in shaky Spanish. “Whether it’s Bronx or Manhattan , or a combination, the truth is that before she was elected, it wasn’t a lot of attention paid to this area. It wasn’t a lot of resources that came in."

(Photo: Garodnick campaign)

As expected, Councilman Dan Garodnick, who had been firmly campaigning for comptroller until today, formally dropped out of the race and endorsed Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer for the position. Mr. Stringer, of course, had previously been campaigning for mayor until he dropped down to the comptroller's race himself.

"When I announced my candidacy for NYC Comptroller, I promised that New Yorkers wouldn’t get any drama with me," Mr. Garodnick wrote in an email to his supporters. "I’m keeping that promise, and want to let you know that I am ending my campaign today and supporting Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer for that position. Let me tell you why. Scott and I share the same values – a progressive commitment to reform, integrity, and sanity in city government. He has been my partner in many efforts to make New York a stronger, safer, more just city for all of its residents."

Since Mr. Garodnick had been his only rival openly campaigning for the same job, Mr. Stringer couldn't be more pleased with the situation. Indeed, the borough president appeared at the press conference where Mr. Garodnick announced the move. “Dan Garodnick is a crucial leader in our city with an important future. Running against him would have been hard for both of us,” Mr. Stringer said in a statement.

(Incumbent Comptroller John Liu is expected to run for mayor in 2013, and while Councilman Domenic Recchia is contemplating joining the race, he has yet to officially do so.)

It seems the campaign shuffling may have cleared the field for Mr. Garodnick's newly-announced reelection bid too, in case there was any doubt. Dara Adams, one of the two candidates vying to succeed him, told Politicker she was humbled by the "phenomenal experience"  of the campaign but wouldn't compete against the incumbent. Ms. Adams had actually quit her job at the Department of Education to pursue the campaign, in addition to a master's degree; now she will simply pursue the latter. "I'm disappointed to be unable to pursue my own ambitions," she said. "The City of New York is lucky to have him, and I support him in his reelection bid."

View Mr. Garodnick's letter below:

When I announced my candidacy for NYC Comptroller, I promised that New Yorkers wouldn’t get any drama with me. I’m keeping that promise, and want to let you know that I am ending my campaign today and supporting Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer for that position.

Let me tell you why. Scott and I share the same values – a progressive commitment to reform, integrity, and sanity in city government. He has been my partner in many efforts to make New York a stronger, safer, more just city for all of its residents.

And we need to remain partners as our City faces unique challenges. We have a structural deficit in our budget; we are relying too much on one-shots; we have growing non-controllable expenditures; we have a changing landscape in City Hall. These challenges are significant, and they are real, and rather than distract from those issues with a contentious campaign for Comptroller, I am resolved to work together with Scott and all other willing colleagues to address them.

I need to thank so many people who have been part of my campaign – I can’t name all of them, but just a few: State Senator Liz Krueger, State Assemblyman Dan Quart, and two of the greatest members of the City Council – Diana Reyna and Rosie Mendez. I am so grateful for their support.

As for me, I will be running for re-election to the City Council in the 4th District. City government will be changing in many ways in 2014, and I am committed to making sure those changes reflect the principles that have been the hallmark of my career in public service – keeping the city affordable for all those who live here, creating opportunity for those working toward the middle class, and creating the transparency that real democracy demands.

Thank you again for all of your support.

Sincerely,

Dan

Dan Garodnick (photo: council.nyc.gov)

Councilman Dan Garodnick's advisors insisted he was confident about his campaign to be City comptroller after Manhattan  Borough President Scott Stringer entered the race earlier this month. However, according to a report in Capital New York, which was subsequently echoed by several other outlets, Mr. Garodnick has decided to end his comptroller campaign and focus on getting re-elected to his Council seat.

As rumors of his imminent exit from the race mount, Mr. Garodnick's campaign announced they will be holding an unspecified "important announcement regarding Garodnick’s 2013 campaign for City Comptroller" at 1 p.m. today on the steps of City Hall. Though this seems to be a clear sign the news about Mr. Garodnick ending the bid he began in April is true, a spokesman for Mr. Garodnick's campaign declined to comment when asked by Politicker about the reports and whether they were connected to the event.

"Neither Dan nor his advisers have confirmed any reports," they said.

If Mr. Garodnick is re-elected, he is rumored to be interested in a run for City Council Speaker.

Dan Garodnick

When Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer announced his intention to run for City Comptroller this evening it may have made things easier for the 2013 mayoral candidates, but it created a tough race for another Democrat who is running for comptroller--Councilman Dan Garodnick. However, Mr. Garodnick's campaign spokesman Dan Levitan released a statement saying Mr. Garodnick is ready for the fight.

"Dan Garodnick said when he announced his campaign for NYC comptroller that he was a candidate – regardless of the field. Nothing has happened to change that," Mr. Levitan said. "Dan didn’t choose to run for comptroller because he thought it would be the easiest race. He chose to run for comptroller because it was the job that best suited his talents and experience–fluent with the city’s finances, trained at internal investigations and with the record of integrity the office needs."

When Mr. Stringer announced his comptroller campaign, he also rolled out a slew of endorsements. Initially, after the news broke, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio issued a statement saying he'd be "proud to endorse" Mr. Stringer. However, Mr. Garodnick's backers; Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, State Senator Liz Krueger, Assemblyman Dan Quart and Councilwoman Diana Reyna, all released statements in the wake of Mr. Stringer's announcement saying their support hasn't wavered.

Sources with Mr. Garodnick's campaign said they aren't worried about Mr. Stringer's campaign war chest, because they expect both candidates to max out under the city's campaign finance laws. While Mr. Stringer is seen as having a strong base on the Upper West Side, they said Mr. Garodnick has strong Manhattan support as well in his East Side district and they are confident he will be able to "out-hustle Stringer, and any other candidates, in the outer boroughs."

(Photo: Getty)

After months of rumors, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has officially decided to run for City Comptroller next year. He was previously considering a campaign for mayor, but he said his experience exploring that race convinced him to run for the city's top financial office. Mr. Stringer spoke to Politicker about his decision earlier today and said he will formally launch his campaign in three weeks. Rather than an avoidance of the crowded mayor's race, Mr. Stringer characterized his entry into the comptroller race as a move to confront the most crucial issues currently facing the city.

"What's needed right now is an experienced hand who can partner with the mayor when it's in the best interests of the city, but also someone with the independence and backbone to stand up to special interests, to call out wasteful spending and to safeguard the city's pension funds," said Mr. Stringer. "That is what I've done my entire career and that's what im going to as comptroller, so I'm not dropping down, I'm stepping up." 

As of now, Councilman Dan Garodnick is the only other candidate who has officially launched a campaign for comptroller. Councilman Domenic Recchia has also been mentioned as a potential candidate. This is a far less crowded field than the mayor's race, which is expected to include Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former comptroller and 2009 mayoral runner up Bill Thompson, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and the current Comptroller John Liu, among others. However, Mr. Stringer said city's need for strong leadership on financial issues, specifically in the wake of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy is what motivated him to enter the comptroller race rather than a desire to stay out of the mayoral fray.

"The comptroller's office is important and it has never been more consequential,"  Mr. Stringer said. "I think I can contribute to helping to get the city back on sound financial footing and protect our most essential services."

Mr. Stringer also noted the city economy was struggling prior to the hurricane with an "unemployment rate stuck at ten percent" and "budget gaps as far as the eye can see."

"As I traveled the city exploring the mayor's race, I heard from working people, middle class people about the economy....People are really struggling. There's a sense that people are paying a lot of taxes and not getting the services to which they're entitled," said Mr. Stringer. "Someone's got to watch out for peoples' bottom line and I started to think that this could be an important way to serve the city. And I just decided this moment, because I think this office has never been more important. This new government that's going to be constituted in January 2014 is something I wanted very much to be a part of and this is how I decided was the best way to serve."

Mr. Stringer described himself as uniquely suited to the job given his "natural interest" and past experiences identifying reforms to cut costs in government programs.

"As Borough President, I've issued 50 reports on government waste, calling out agencies and holding people accountable....As Borough President, I chaired the Assembly's Oversight and Investigations Committee. I also chaired the Real Property Taxation Committee....As Borough President, I served for 7 years as a board member for the New York City Employee Retirement System, a $42 billion pension fund where I have for over seven years promoted transparency, integrity and professionalism in our pension investments," Mr. Stringer said.

In his role with NYCERS, Mr. Stringer said he "led the effort to ban placement agents who got money for doing nothing," "pioneered important  reforms to integrate prinicples for a responsible investment in pension funds" and "played a very important role in getting the pension fund to initiate important policies for emerging managers that will diversify and maximize the talent there." He also cited his experience analyzing large government contracts, including the Time Warner and Verizon contract renewals, as a member of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee.

"I've played a role in audits, played a role in pensions and, as a member of the FCRC--Franchise and Concession Review Committee, I've looked at and analyzed the big contracts," said Mr. Stringer. "I have been in the room, negotiated, watched the comptrollers in that role. And when you put all that together, I think my skill set is something that really can help new yorkers with this job."

Along with officially launching his campaign for comptroller today, Mr. Stringer is rolling out a series of high-profile endorsements; former Mayor Ed Koch, Congressman Jerry Nadler, former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, former Congresswoman Elizabeth Holzman and Assemblyman Karim Camara, who chairs the Assembly's Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus.

"These are just a few New Yorkers who, I think signal that we're going to run a broad-based five borough campaign that's multiracial and diverse," Mr. Stringer said.

In addition to his own endorsements, Mr. Stringer hinted he might be willing to make an endorsement in the mayor's race.

"I haven't decided who to endorse for mayor, but it's possible," he said.

Dara Adams (Photo: Ron Hester)

Dara Adams, currently  Community Affairs Director at the Department of Education, is set to leave her job Friday in order to directly pursue a campaign for Councilman Dan Garodnick's East Side seat. Mr. Garodnick declared he will run for New York City Comptroller in 2013, which led Ms. Adams to publicly contemplate a campaign months ago, but she had not officially announced her intentions.

"I still have to register all of my paperwork with the Board of Elections," she told us earlier this afternoon. "But I am leaving to finish my master's and run for City Council."

"It's something I'm really passionate about," she said of her motivations for running, citing education and transportation as top issues. "I really believe we need soembody that cares about the quality of life in the district."

As is the inevitable case with open seats, however, she'll have to defeat several rivals in order to ultimately secure the elected office. Notably, local community board chair Mark Thompson currently seems to have the inside track and has been amassing some establishment support. Jeff Mailman, a legislative aide to Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, is also exploring a run.

And the campaign is certainly getting underway even though it is over a year away and the exact boundaries of the district are sure to change with redistricting. For example, Mr. Thompson already announced the support from former Mayor Ed Koch.

(Photo Credit: Jon Reznick)

Jeff Mailman, an attorney and legislative director for the City Council, is considering a campaign for Councilman Dan Garodnick's East Side district. Mr. Garodnick has already announced his intentions to run citywide for comptroller in 2013 and multiple contenders are already lining up their campaigns to replace him.

"My time as the legislative director for Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley was a thrilling experience," Mr. Mailman told us yesterday evening, ticking off a range of issues he's interested in, especially zoning policy. "The Council is an exciting place."

The prospective candidate was particularly effusive in his praise for Mr. Garodnick, whom he called a "role model."

"I think he's done a terrific job, he's passed more bills than any legislator in the Council, and very significant pieces," Mr. Mailman said. "He has a great record and a strong advocate and he always has a very thorough knowledge."

If he does indeed pull the trigger and launch a campaign, Mr. Mailmight might have an uphill battle against a field that already includes at least two challengers: community board chair Mark Thompson and Department of Education staffer Dara Adams.

Mr. Thompson in particular has been amassing some notable political support, including the backing of former Mayor Ed Koch.

"I'm still reaching out, assessing my fundraising," Mr. Mailman said of the state of his campaign, noting that the 2013 election is still a ways off. "I want to talk to residents in the district even more. We're way out and I need some more time to see how everything goes."

Dan Garodnick (photo: council.nyc.gov)

In yet one more sign of the political winds shifting against stop-and-frisk, another candidate for citywide office has come out against the current practices of the NYPD tactic today. East Side Councilman Dan Garodnick, a top contender for Comptroller John Liu's job in 2013, penned a letter to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly asking him to "firmly commit to revisiting this practice, reducing the overall number and disproportionate application of stops made each year and ensuring that stops are based on individualized reasonable suspicion."

"The numbers are jarring and strongly suggest that the NYPD is either pressuring its officers to make these stops without reasonable suspicion, or is simply not concerned about getting it right," he explained. "Either scenario does not reflect well on the NYPD or the City. Of course, the justification offered for such a wide-scale interference with the liberties of mainly black and Latino New Yorkers is that it has resulted in a decline in crime. However, even as the number of stops made each year has skyrocketed, there has been virtually no change in the number of gunfire victims in New York City."

In addition to Mr. Garodnick, all of the main Democratic contenders for mayor in 2013 have come out against stop-and-frisk as well.

A spokesman for Mr. Garodnick said the councilman will also be attending the big Father's Day march against the practice.

View his letter to Mr. Kelly below:

Mark Thompson (Photo: Facebook)

Mark Thompson, the chair of Community Board 6, has officially registered a campaign committee for Councilman Dan Garodnick's East Side seat. Mr. Garodnick recently announced his campaign for New York City Comptroller, which will leave a vacant seat behind him for aspiring city councilmen like Mr. Thompson.

The move comes as little surprise as Mr. Thompson had already told DNAinfo, “I’m very seriously considering running for Dan’s seat,” and, “ I hope to make an announcement some time soon.”

Indeed, he seemed excited about the prospect of serving in the City Council.

“City planning is my background, my soul basically,” Mr. Thompson also told the publication. “I love what I do, and it fits in exactly with the City Council.”

Another likely candidate, DNAinfo reported, is Department of Education staffer Dara Adams, who's just 26 years of age.

Other candidates are reasonably likely to emerge in the coming weeks and months, as the election won't take place until 2013.

John Liu (Photo: NY1)

New York City Comptroller John Liu, a possible candidate for mayor next year who has seen multiple federal indictments against his campaign operations, knows exactly what office he's going to seek next year, but he's just not ready to say it yet.

"I know what I'm going to do next year," he precisely said while being interviewed on Inside City Hall last night.

When asked about Councilman Dan Garodnick's recently announced campaign for comptroller, Mr. Liu continued to vaguely suggest he's indeed running for mayor.

"Dan and I have had a number of private conversations over the years, and very recently also," he responded. "Dan is obviously a very shrewd politician and he's probably making the right move."

His comments echo a confusing message his campaign's spokesman sent out yesterday calling Mr. Garodnick a "perceptive politician," made more confusing because Mr. Garodnick is acting like he very much has no idea what Mr. Liu is going to do next year. Indeed, an unnamed source told the New York Daily News, "Dan didn't know John's plans, and frankly still doesn't understand what they are. But, whatever they may have been/may be/may be tomorrow, they are irrelevant to Dan's decision."

Furthermore, Mr. Garodnick has been criticizing the fundraising scandal surrounding Mr. Liu, arguing that it renders him less effective, something that wouldn't exactly be necessary if he was sure Mr. Liu would run for higher office instead of seeking reelection.

Regardless, Mr. Liu suggested the bad headlines about federal indictments against his campaign will continue.

"There are a ton of allegations out there, I can only imagine there will be more allegations in the coming months," he said. "This thing is not going away anytime soon, this is going to drag out. But I'm looking forward to as speedy of a resolution as can be had on this matter."