By Assembly Member William Colton (47th Assembly District – Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Bath Beach & Dyker Heights) was interviewed this Wednesday evening for the 11 Congressional District congressional vacancy by the Staten Island Democratic Organization whose County Leader is John Gulino.
Meanwhile Colton has emerged as the clear choice of the Brooklyn Democrats, being supported by seven of the ten Brooklyn Democratic district leaders in the 11 Congressional District to run as the Democratic candidate in the special election to the fill the vacancy left by former Congressmember Michael Grimm.
The 11th Congressional district comprises southern Brooklyn and Staten Island. This seat was vacated by former Representative Michael Grimm on Monday, January 5, 2015. Colton has stated that in response to many calls from community leaders and residents, he is seriously considering entering the race and running for this congressional seat.
Colton, who has won ten elections to the New York State Assembly, is being supported for a Congressional run in the 11 CD by a large number of elected officials who represent parts of the Congressional District. These elected officials include New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Council Member Mark Treyger (47th Council District – Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Coney Island, & Seagate), New York State Assembly Member Felix Ortiz (51st Assembly District – Sunset Park, Red Hook, & Bay Ridge), He is also being supported by District Leader Ari Kagan (45th Assembly District – Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midwood), District Leader Margarita Kagan (45th Assembly District – Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midwood), District Leader Nancy Tong (47th Assembly District – Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Bath Beach & Dyker Heights), District Leader Charles Ragusa (47th Assembly District – Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Bath Beach & Dyker Heights), District Leader Dilia Schack (46th Assembly District – Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Coney Island, Seagate, & Brighton Beach), District LeaderMark Davidovich (46th Assembly District – Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Coney Island, Seagate, & Brighton Beach), District Leader Kevin Peter Carroll (64th Assembly District – Bay Ridge),He also has the support of former New York State Senator Seymour Lachman,who had represented parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Ari Kagan, Democratic District Leader, 45 AD: “I have known Bill Colton for more than 15 years as a man of integrity, hard work and strong commitment to improving the quality of life for his constituents. He deeply cares about all communities, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion or accent. Assemblyman Bill Colton is a close friend and ally who does not hesitate to make tough decisions and to promote innovative ideas. From his fight for better schools and public transportation to cleaning up neighborhood streets and helping Sandy victims, supporting our law enforcement, he is well known as tireless public servant. I am proud to endorse his candidacy. I believe Bill Colton will be a great representative in Congress for people in Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn.”
Margarita Kagan, Democratic District Leader, 45 AD: “It is my pleasure and honor to endorse Assemblyman Bill Colton for the U.S. Congress. He brings together Russian, Asian, Italian, Latino and many other communities into coalition to fight for better quality of life, educational and jobs opportunities, clean environment and safe streets. He works very hard and always listens to his constituents – not just before elections, but all the time.”
District Leader Kevin Peter Carroll, 64th AD: “Assemblyman Colton has spent nearly two decades continuously fighting for the people of Southern Brooklyn. The issues he has working on are extensive, including lowering taxes for working men and women, closing the illegal incinerator in Gravesend Bay, fighting to make sure a harmful waste transfer station is not placed on the site of the former incinerator, and organizing grassroots community clean-ups. These issues show all of us the type of Congressman he will be. I trust him to work on the important national issues the same way he has done with our local issues, but most importantly I know he will fight to make sure New York gets its fair share from the federal government. That is why I am supporting Assemblyman Colton. He will be a Congressman we can all be proud of because he has been an Assemblyman we are proud of.”
Governor Cuomo has not yet set the date for the Special Election for this seat.