Congress race all set: It’s Gentile and Donovan for Grimm seat
The race to succeed Michael Grimm in congress is now set. On Thursday, Bay Ridge Councilmember Vincent Gentile formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination and will run against Republican Daniel Donovan in the May 5 special election.
“I am honored to accept the Democratic nomination for New York’s 11th congressional district. Today, with the support of the Staten Island Democratic Party and the Brooklyn Democratic Party, we officially kick off a campaign to ensure that the thousands of hardworking New Yorkers finally get the representation they deserve in Congress,” Gentile said in a statement issued Thursday night, shortly after he accepted the nomination.
Gentile (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bensonhurst), who has been a member of the City Council since 2003, has long rumored to be the favorite to win his party’s nomination, despite the appearance of other hopefuls in the race. His nomination became all but assured when Assemblymember Bill Colton (D-Gravesend-Bensonhurst), who had been aggressively pursuing the nomination, suddenly announced that he was dropping out of the race.