Former Mayor Bill de Blasio won’t run for Congress after all, he announced on social media Tuesday evening, ending rumors of his bid for a redrawn 11th Congressional District that now includes his Park Slope, Brooklyn, neighborhood.
“I’ve represented the neighborhoods of the 11th CD for years and I love the people who live here. It was gratifying to connect with community and elected leaders while I considered a run. I’m certain a progressive can win this seat and serve us in Washington,” de Blasio wrote on Twitter on Feb. 15.
“Back in January, I made a decision to focus on advocating for policies that would continue to drive down income inequality in New York – one of my proudest achievements. I’m going to stick with that decision – it was the right one then and it remains so,” he added.
I’ve represented the neighborhoods of the 11th CD for years and I love the people who live here. It was gratifying to connect with community and elected leaders while I considered a run. I'm certain a progressive can win this seat and serve us in Washington.
(1/2)— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) February 15, 2022
After his departure from City Hall on Dec. 31, de Blasio was reportedly mulling a bid for Washington politics.
Once a swing seat that included Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn on the far side of the Verrazzano Bridge, state Democrats gerrymandered the lines to extend NY-11 into solidly blue areas like Sunset Park, Park Slope, and Gowanus.
Democrat Max Rose lost the seat after one term to Republican Nicole Malliotakis in 2020 and he has launched a campaign to reclaim it. Progressive challenger and fellow Staten Islander Brittany Ramos DeBarros has also joined the field of candidates from the left.
De Blasio previously thought about running for governor against Kathy Hochul, but also decided against throwing his hat for that race last month.
His only official campaign in recent years was for president in 2019, but he dropped out after four months.
