Varying theories have surfaced for why Councilman Peter Koo changed his registration from Republican to Democratic this afternoon. These explanations range from the cynical to the optimistic. A New York Times source believed as a Democrat, Councilman Koo “could get more city money for his district” and “increase his odds of becoming a Council committee chairman.” However, Queens Democratic Chairman Joe Crowley was more circumspect in how he phrased it.

“I think what Peter realizes, in many respects, it is dominated by Democrats, the City Council, and having more say, more input for his constituency is also important,” he said. And while he declined to deliberately speculate on whether Mr. Koo would head an important Council committee, he did say he was ”sure that the Council and the Speaker will find a way to utilize Peter’s talents.”

Others have speculated that the Queens Republican Party simply didn’t do enough to keep Mr. Koo in the party, and that the openly hostile dispute between internal factions made him feel unwelcome. In an interview last week, Councilman Eric Ulrich echoed these thoughts, saying his colleague “did not feel appreciated by the Queens Republican Party and infighting in the county organization made him increasingly uncomfortable.” Read More