(Photo: Facebook)

Assemblyman Rafael Espinal is officially campaigning for the seat belonging to outgoing Councilman Erik Dilan, he told Politicker today. Combined with yesterday's Council announcement by Assemblyman Micah Kellner and Joe Lhota's mayoral campaign, indicators are piling up that the 2013 election cycle is fully underway, up an down the ballot.

"I just think it's a great opportunity to have a direct impact on my communities; in the State Assembly, it's harder to bring resources into our neighborhoods," Mr. Espinal said, adding that his experience as Mr. Dilan's chief of staff will enable him to "hit the ground running."

Mr. Espinal, who won a high-profile special election in 2011, instantly becomes the front-runner for the seat, a majority-Hispanic district spanning the northeastern corner of Brooklyn.

Earlier this week, Mr. Espinal received a boost when his main electoral rival, Jesus Gonzalez, suddenly announced he was no longer seeking the seat. Mr. Gonzalez, who had campaigned against Mr. Espinal for the Assembly gig, was expected to mount a strong challenge and had already lined up some labor support.

"I was definitely surprised," Mr. Espinal said of Mr. Gonzalez's withdrawal, the same reaction experienced by many of Mr. Gonzalez's own supporters. "I had my foot on the gas pedal."

Nevertheless, two other candidates have also registered campaign accounts for the district, according to the city's campaign finance board: Helal Sheikh and the aptly-named Kimberly Council.

(Photo: Facebook)

In another sign the 2013 races are almost fully underway, Assemblyman Rafael Espinal, who first won a relatively high-profile special election in northeastern Brooklyn in 2011, is moving forward with his aim to replace term-limited Councilman Erik Dilan next year and formed a campaign committee for the effort.

"I'm leaning towards running, but the truth of the matter is I just got elected to the assembly," Mr. Espinal told us this morning. "But that option's available. I'm very proud of my record in the record in the State Assembly."

One Brooklyn Democrat told us the plans are even more certain than that and Mr. Espinal is all-but-certain to run.

Regardless, the move would make some sense; before he was in Albany, Mr. Espinal was Mr. Dilan's chief of staff. And the City Council tends to be an easier place for a junior member to effect change than the seniority-dominated State Assembly. “I have a lot of experience there, I worked for Erik for nearly 5 years," Mr. Espinal explained. "Erik has done a great job as a city councilman, and he's built up a lot of momentum for our community."

Another candidate, Jesus Gonzalez, has already declared his campaign for Mr. Dilan's seat. As Mr. Gonzalez was the Working Families Party-backed candidate who challenged Mr. Espinal in his initial special election, 2013 looks likely to be a rematch between the two. Mr. Espinal said it would be "interesting" if that indeed came to pass.

Jesus Gonzalez (Photo: Facebook)

Forget 2012's elections, the Working Families Party is already taking a look at the 2013 City Council campaigns beginning to heat up. Accordingly, the party announced their first endorsements of council candidates this afternoon, backing Jesus Gonzalez and Costa Constantinides. And while neither endorsement is especially shocking, it's certainly nice for the respective candidates to have the labor powerhouse's support for their respective Democratic primaries.

Mr. Gonzalez previously received the Working Families Party's backing when he ran in a high-profile State Assembly special election last year. In that election, he ran only on the WFP line against the Democratic candidate, Councilman Erik Dilan's then-Chief of Staff Rafael Espinal. Mr. Gonzalez ultimately lost that election and subsequently decided to seek the seat belonging to Mr. Dilan, who is term limited, rather than seek a rematch with Mr. Espinal.

The WFP's other endorsement went for Mr. Constantinides, currently running for term-limited Councilman Peter Vallone's seat in Astoria. Although the party and the Queens County Democratic organization have often found themselves on opposing sides in recent years, the endorsement could represent a point of agreement between the two, as Congressman Joe Crowley, the head of the county Democrats, appeared at a fundraiser for Mr. Constantinides months ago.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with these two candidates. New Yorkers deserve leaders like Costa and Jesus who will fight for the values working families, not billionaires, lobbyists and corporations,”  Bill Lipton, the WFP's Deputy Director said in a statement. “They’ll be great additions to the City Council.”

Interestingly, the outgoing incumbents in both council races could very well come down opposing the Working Families picks. Mr. Dilan is all but certain to back another candidate, possibly his wife Janitza, while Mr. Vallone has said positive things about Tony Meloni's campaign for his seat, declaring him "a very formidable candidate."

With a huge number of term-limited council members leaving open seats behind them, control of the Council's powerful speakership hangs in the balance, creating a possible opportunity for the WFP to secure the position for a labor ally if they can win enough of these races. Which is likely why they're weighing in so early.

Jesus Gonzalez (Photo: Facebook)

Jesus Gonzalez will officially launch his campaign for term-limited City Councilman Erik Dilan's seat next Wednesday, setting the stage for another confrontation between Mr. Gonzalez and the county Democratic organization. Mr. Gonzalez, a young activist for Make the Road New York, gained prominence running under the Working Families Party's banner against the Democratic Party's pick in a special election for the State Assembly last summer.

"For many of us the next municipal election still feels like something in the distant future," Mr. Gonzalez wrote in an email to supporters this afternoon. "For me, it feels just around the corner."

Mr. Gonzalez had previously been contemplating a run, but had not made it official. He registered a campaign committee earlier this month, however, and it seemed probable that he would, in fact, enter the race.

"I have been spending my days on the phone, my evenings at the door and my weekends speaking to as many of you as possible about my goal of being elected to New York's City Council," he continued. "I want to bring my passion for organizing and my deep love for our neighbourhoods to the City Council."

Mr. Dilan is current running against Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez this year, and if he's successful, there would be an open special election for his seat. If he loses, the election would take place as scheduled in 2013. It's not immediately clear who Mr. Dilan and the Brooklyn Democratic Party will back in the race.

Jesus Gonzalez (Photo: Facebook)

Jesus Gonzalez, an activist who gained prominence by running in a special election for the State Assembly last summer, looks like he's getting ready to run for term-limited Councilman Erik Dilan's seat in 2013. Indeed, he just registered a campaign committee for the run today and at Lincoln Restler's campaign kickoff event last night, he told The Politicker he was getting "closer to making a decision."

Mr. Gonzalez ran for former Assemblyman Darryl Towns' seat under the Working Families Party banner against the Democratic pick, Mr. Dilan's then-Chief of Staff, Rafael Espinal. Although he ultimately lost, Mr. Gonzalez performed decently and would likely rely on a similar coalition of left-wing and anti-establishment groups for a hypothetical City Council campaign, in addition to the labor-backed WFP.

Mr. Dilan is currently engaged in an uphill campaign for congress against incumbent Rep. Nydia Velázquez (who actually backed Mr. Gonzalez in 2011), and if he were successful, there would be a special election to replace him in the City Council before the regularly scheduled 2013 election.

At least partially because of Mr. Dilan's congressional campaign, the county organization's preferred candidate is still unknown. Some have speculated that Mr. Dilan and his father, State Senator Martin Dilan, could run for each other's seats, or that his wife, District Leader Janitza Luna Dilan, might be interested in a campaign herself. Other candidates are more than possible as well.

As a side note, Mr. Gonzalez was recently involved in pressuring Mayor Bloomberg's administration into backing off its efforts to close a Bushwick high school, which generated some headlines in the city.

Councilman Dilan's current district

Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez has seen herself on the opposing side of Brooklyn's Democratic boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, quite a few times lately. From what Roberto Perez reported last night, this electoral rivalry looks likely to continue.

First off, Mr. Perez's sources again float the long-rumored suggestion that one of Mr. Lopez's key allies, Councilman Erik Dilan, might throw his own hat in the Congressional ring and challenge Ms. Velázquez himself.

But this all may be a negotiating tactic to distract from other possibilities.

One such possibility is that Mr. Dilan, who's term-limited out in 2013, could seek  a switcheroo with his father, State Senate Marty Dilan, who would then run for the City Council. That could place the senior Dilan against one of Ms. Velázquez's allies, Jesus Gonzalez, who ran in a high-profile special election last summer against the younger Dilan's Chief of Staff, Rafael Espinal, for the State Assembly.

Mr. Perez indicates the Dilans are expecting challenges from Ms. Velázquez-backed candidates at even the district leader level as well. In 2010, Ms. Velázquez endorsed a slate of district leader candidates opposing Mr. Lopez, so such a move would hardly be unexpected.

"A vote for Gonzalez is a vote in favor of change and reform in Brooklyn and beyond," Samuels said. "If we can mobilize voters on behalf of candidates such as Gonzalez, it will mark an encouraging sign for young reformers throughout this city, who want to take on the entrenched and corrupt political system and change it for the better.”

Samuels compared Gonzalez to Gustavo Rivera, the former Kirsten Gillibrand aide who knocked out Pedro Espada last year with Samuels' support.

“Like Rivera, Jesus Gonzales, is a fresh new progressive face in New York politics who is battling an entrenched and corrupt political party boss system that puts personal power and preservation ahead of the people,” Samuels said.

Samuels also cited the "flawed stated constitution and archaic political process" in endorsing Gonzalez, noting that in special elections it is party leaders, and not Democratic primary voters, who determine who gets placed on the Democratic line.

“Thanks to our flawed state constitution and archaic political process, local party bosses generally get to choose who the Democratic candidate and presumptive Assemblyperson will be,” Samuels said. “Bosses love elections without opponents, but they’re bad for democracy and bad for New York... The system is broken, disgraceful and must be changed. I applaud the valiant efforts of Gonzalez and WFP in their continued efforts to reform Brooklyn politics by letting voters have a real choice and that is why I fully support Gonzalez’s candidacy.”

The endorsement would give Espinal significant Get-Out-The-Vote forces on election day, slated for September 13.

The endorsement is not yet official, and Espinal declined comment.

The race to replace Darryl Towns in the Assembly has taken on unusual significance, and is seen as a proxy battle for various powerbrokers in the neighborhood: Congressman Ed Towns, Brooklyn Democratic leader Vito Lopez, and labor interests aligned with the Working Families Party.

Espinal, a staffer for City Councilman Erik Dilan, is close to Lopez.

Espinal also announced today that he was endorsed by the Teamsters Union.

In other news, Jesus Gonzalez, who is backed by the WFP, has been racking up endorsements from local political clubs, having Lambda and Democracy for New York City over the last couple of weeks.

Deirdra Towns, the daughter of Congressman Towns, is also in the race.

Ms. Towns, from her campaign website.

The first round of campaign filings for the 54^th Assembly District gives a glimpse into the proxy battle between three of Brooklyn's power brokers.

Deidra Towns, raised $93,915, the most of any candidate, and also had the most corporate donations with $20,650.

Her father, Congressman Ed Towns, gave $1,000 from his personal account and $3,000 from his reelection fund, and appears to have leaned on some friends in the Congressional Black Caucus.

Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush, South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, Missouri Congressman Lacy Clay Jr. and New Jersey Congressman Don Payne each gave $1,000 from their campaign funds.

Chirlane McCray, who is married to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, gave $250 to Ms. Towns’ campaign. De Blasio won his seat in 2009 with significant help from the Working Families Party, which has backed one of Towns' opponents, Jesus Gonzalez.

Former Democratic District Leader Steve Cohn, whose son Warren worked for Towns, gave $500.

Rafael Espinal, who serves as City Council member Erik Dilan’s chief of staff and is being supported by Democratic chairman Vito Lopez, raised $70,165, with $15,850 in corporate donations.

New York State Senator Mike Gianaris, from Astoria, gave $3,800 from his campaign fund. Angela Battaglia, Lopez’s girlfriend, donated $200. Citizens for Dilan gave $3,800.

Mr. Espinal collected a significant sum from real estate. His largest corporate donation is $4,100 from Green Star Builders LLC.

Jesus Gonzalez raised a total of $78,650 with 405 transactions from individual donors. Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez gave $4,100 from her reelection campaign. District Leader Lincoln Restler donated $250 – and his parents gave $500. City Council member Charles Barron and his wife, Inez, each gave $250. The candidate himself gave the campaign $27.

Courtesy Jesus Gonzalez for Assembly

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Jesus Gonzalez finished a Newport outside his Bushwick office, then ducked to the back with a comb and some gel. He emerged with his close-cropped hair slicked down, and picked up a stack of campaign literature before setting out to knock on some doors.

“It is one of the oldest community organizing tactics,” said Mr. Gonzalez, in an untucked beige polo shirt, an oversized blazer, baggy jeans and shiny patent leather kicks. “Even Jesus’ disciples did it to spread the word.”

Mr. Gonzalez, who goes by the English pronunciation of his first name, Jesus – though some supporters have quietly tried to push the Spanish pronunciation for the campaign – will need some new converts to win the upcoming special election in New York’s 54^th Assembly District.

The district, which comprises parts of Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, Cypress Hills and East New York, cuts across three of Brooklyn’s warring political clans. Mr. Gonzalez is backed by a coalition of Latino community groups and young reformers in North Brooklyn, led by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. Running against Mr. Gonzalez in the three-way race are candidates backed, respectively, by two Brooklyn institutions: the borough’s powerful Democratic chairman, Vito Lopez, and its longest-serving congressman, Ed Towns.

“I represent a new wave in politics. I represent a generation called the Hip Hop Generation,” said Mr. Gonzalez, who, at 26, is campaigning for the first time, after nearly a decade working at Make the Road, an influential community group making its first foray into electoral politics. “It’s the bridge that brings together young and old. It’s a breath of fresh air in the political sphere.”

(His personal Facebook page shows photos of Mr. Gonzalez registering voters at a “Hip Hop for Jesus G” fundraiser earlier this month, along with some photos of him competing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and a few of him drinking tequila shots at his birthday party.)

His campaign literature proclaims Mr. Gonzalez “The Real Democrat for State Assembly,” a reaction to the fact he won’t actually appear on the Democratic ballot line –which is controlled by the local party chairman, Mr. Lopez – when voters go to the polls on September 13.  Instead, he’ll appear on the ballot line of the labor-backed Working Families Party, which endorsed him last week.

His supporters hope that the W.F.P.’s vaunted field operation and some high-profile endorsements, combined with Mr. Gonzalez’s youthful energy and Make the Road’s new political arm, can deliver him to the Assembly and, in the process, cement a new coalition with enduring power in Brooklyn politics.

“He has charisma, wisdom, dedication, real work in the community,” said T.J. Helmsetter, the Working Families Party communications director. “He is the type of person you actually want in politics. Sometimes in politics you have to ruffle a few feathers when it’s worth it, and this is worth it.”

Mr. Gonzalez is still figuring out exactly how to transition from community organizer to candidate. He practically sprints around the neighborhood as he rings buzzers and approaches prospective voters, mentioning his neighborhood roots at even the slightest opportunity.

On Putnam Avenue, a middle aged woman in Homer Simpson slippers came to the door of a steep-stooped brownstone and, after remarking on Mr. Gonzalez’s youth, asked for reassurance that he won’t be seduced by the office and end up caught in a sex scandal.

“I have a proven track record in the neighborhood,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “I am from here. My father was the Icee man. He now works maintenance at Tompkins Day Care Center in Bed-Stuy. I live just like you and everyone else here.”

Mr. Gonzalez started working at Make the Road when he was 13 – following the example of an older sister who still works for the organization. As one of the founding members of the Youth Power Project, Mr. Gonzalez worked to get other young people from the community involved in campaigning for more neighborhood resources.

In the process, he became a success story for the program. After attending Bushwick Community High School, Mr. Gonzalez received a scholarship to Hofstra University, where he majored in sociology and political science. Mr. Gonzalez returned to Bushwick after college and continued to work at Make the Road.

Last year, Make the Road created a 501(c)4 “action fund,” independent from its core non-profit, that allows the new arm of the organization to raise money for candidates and participate in elections. Turnout for the special election is expected to be particularly low, and the race will be an early measure of whether Make the Road can translate its organizing success into votes.

Mr. Gonzalez’s campaign is largely staffed by people from the organization, many of whom have watched him grow up. Oona Chatterjee, who is currently on leave from her position as co-executive director of Make the Road to run the campaign, met the candidate when he first started with the non-profit as a teenager.

“When he was younger, he was much more of an ‘I don’t trust politicians’ kind of person, and it’s really nice to see his development, because I feel like we were all hoping for that,” said Ms. Chatterjee.

Mr. Gonzalez is still wary of some parts of the process. Before going out to greet voters, he cautioned The Politicker about how his local image might play in the broader press.

“I just want to be careful on how I’m quoted, because we have neighborhood people,” he said. “For example, ‘What’s good, baby?’ To quote that, political insiders aren’t going to understand.”

But the local politicians seem to grasp his appeal.

“I remember Jesus being so young, to see this young person grow up and become the person he has is transformative,” said Ms. Velazquez.  “It’s the hope to find a young person who wants to throw themself into politics.”

“I’m a great campaigner, especially when I know there is a great candidate,” she said. “I’m behind Jesus 100 percent.”

Ms. Velazquez’s congressional district covers about two-thirds of the Assembly district, but Mr. Gonzalez will have competition for the Latino vote. Mr. Lopez’s candidate, Rafael Espinal, is also Latino, and splitting the ethnic vote could help the third candidate -- Mr. Towns’ daughter, Deidra -- who is the lone African-American candidate in the race. (African-Americans make up 33 percent of the district’s voters, and Mr. Towns’ congressional district covers about a third of the Assembly district.)

But Mr. Gonzalez stands to benefit – with both groups – from the long histories of Mr. Lopez and Mr. Towns in Brooklyn’s bare-knuckle politics.

“Jesus is independent, un-bossed and un-bought,” said City Councilman Charles Barron, who ran a primary against Mr. Towns in 2006. “We can’t have people getting elected just because of their last name.”

Mr. Barron is one of the Council’s more outspoken voices advocating for African-American causes, but has shunned Ms. Towns in favor of Mr. Gonzalez.

“I have never even seen Deidra in East New York,” he said. “And Vito, please. I would never support anyone Vito has control over.”

(Mr. Gonzalez recently met with the Reverend Al Sharpton, though a spokesman for the reverend said she was unaware if an endorsement was pending.)

The support from the anti-Lopez camp extends even beyond the district’s borders.

On a recent Wednesday night, Mr. Gonzalez hosted a fundraiser at Bar Celona, a South Williamsburg lounge. His cousin, Jose Lopez, who also works for Make the Road, had hastily arranged what he called an “After Work Celebration!” by Facebook invitation. There were no speeches by the candidate and no elected officials.

About a dozen people milled around, including two Hasidic men from South Williamsburg. “We will be Jews for Jesus,” they said.

A labor lawyer, who has worked with Mr. Gonzalez in the past, handed over a crumpled twenty-dollar bill to the campaign manager, and she looked around for an envelope to put it in.

Earlier this month, local District Leader Lincoln Restler hosted a slightly more lucrative fundraiser at his parents’ Pierrepont Street apartment in Brooklyn Heights, and Mr. Gonzalez’s campaign said on Tuesday that it would report more than $75,000 in contributions, a healthy start for an Assembly campaign.

He also has the support of the New Kings Democrats, an organization of young reformers – including Mr. Restler -- dedicated to chipping away at the entrenched power of Mr. Lopez.

But, for Mr. Gonzalez, it all comes back to the community.

In Bushwick, as he stepped over the open hydrants to reach people sitting on their stoops, a middle-aged man with a clipboard stopped to question him about the bullet points on his flyers.

“Police who respect us,” he read from the literature. “How are you gonna get that from them?”

“I know what it is to get a gun pulled in my face,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “But I also know what it is to get harassed. So just looking for the balance on having safety in the neighborhood but having police who respect us.”

The man nodded approvingly and asked about job creation.

“You go to my opponents, they say, ‘Build Walmart because Walmart brings jobs.’ But they bring shitty jobs,” Mr. Gonzalez said. “So I say let’s bring some good jobs to the neighborhood. What I am saying is this, man, we need an advocate that is from the community.”

“I agree,” the man replied, “for the people, by the people,”.

“I know I represent that,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “Sometimes you plan and it doesn’t work out the way you plan. But, you do know that I won’t compromise those values.”

“You know what’s up,” the man told Mr. Gonzalez.

For now, Mr. Gonzalez’s plan is try to outhustle his opponents.

Around 7 p.m., after two hours of campaigning, he told the staffer walking with him that she could go home. He wanted to pick up the pace.

"I literally jog,” he said. “It's my workout plan."