When Republican City Councilman Dennis Gallagher leaves office at the end of the day on April 18, more than a year will remain of his term: The question now is, who will replace him?
Gallagher’s resignation leaves behind not just an empty seat, but a contentious bunch scrambling to take his place. Several candidates have already announced their intentions of running for the District 30 seat, which Gallagher has occupied as city councilman since 2001.
Once the seat is vacated in April, the mayor has three days to proclaim a special election to fill the seat, which expires in January 2010. Generally they are held the first Tuesday after 45 days have passed since the vacancy has opened (holidays excepted). Hence, the special election could be held as soon as June.
Candidates are not allowed to run as Republicans or Democrats, so there will be no primary, only a simple runoff. Elections for the next full term will proceed as originally scheduled in 2009.
Republican Anthony Como, a Board of Elections commissioner and a former Queens prosecutor, announced months ago that he would run for the seat in 2009. As speculation over a Gallagher plea deal surfaced, he said he hadn’t thought “it was appropriate to say one way or another” whether he would run until the outcome was decided.
“Now that it’s official,” he said, “I am announcing that I am running for the special election.” He previously ran unsuccessfully against Andrew Hevesi for an Assembly seat.
Similarly, Republican Thomas Ognibene — who already served as the District 30 councilman from 1992 until Gallagher took over — said he was “definitely in,” now that the resignation was imminent.
During his tenure as councilman, Ognibene acted as a political mentor to Gallagher, who was his chief of staff. Ognibene said he was “deeply saddened” by news of the plea.
“I hope he pulls his life together, I really do,” Ognibene said.
Democrats, of course, see a chance to gain a new seat on the council. Elizabeth Crowley, who lost her City Council bid to Gallagher in 2001, said she would definitely run. The cousin of Congressman Joseph Crowley, and daughter to former City Council members Walter and Mary Crowley, has raised about $80,000 for her campaign.
“That’s one step I have over the the other candidates,” she said. Democrat Charles Ober, president of the Ridgewood Democratic Club, first vice president of the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association, and the only openly gay candidate thus far, confirmed his bid for the slot in an e-mail.
Tony Nunziato, vice president of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, is expected to run by some, but as of press time said he was still undecided. As with many local Democrats, there is little love lost over Gallagher’s resignation.
“He loses his job for a year and collects a pension,” Nunziato said. “Justice wasn’t served.”
Candidates are not allowed to run as Republicans or Democrats, so there will be no primary, only a simple runoff. Elections for the next full term will proceed as originally scheduled in 2009.
Republican Anthony Como, a Board of Elections commissioner and a former Queens prosecutor, announced months ago that he would run for the seat in 2009. As speculation over a Gallagher plea deal surfaced, he said he hadn’t thought “it was appropriate to say one way or another” whether he would run until the outcome was decided.
“Now that it’s official,” he said, “I am announcing that I am running for the special election.” He previously ran unsuccessfully against Andrew Hevesi for an Assembly seat.
Similarly, Republican Thomas Ognibene — who already served as the District 30 councilman from 1992 until Gallagher took over — said he was “definitely in,” now that the resignation was imminent.
During his tenure as councilman, Ognibene acted as a political mentor to Gallagher, who was his chief of staff. Ognibene said he was “deeply saddened” by news of the plea.
“I hope he pulls his life together, I really do,” Ognibene said.
Democrats, of course, see a chance to gain a new seat on the council. Elizabeth Crowley, who lost her City Council bid to Gallagher in 2001, said she would definitely run. The cousin of Congressman Joseph Crowley, and daughter to former City Council members Walter and Mary Crowley, has raised about $80,000 for her campaign.
“That’s one step I have over the the other candidates,” she said. Democrat Charles Ober, president of the Ridgewood Democratic Club, first vice president of the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association, and the only openly gay candidate thus far, confirmed his bid for the slot in an e-mail.
Tony Nunziato, vice president of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, is expected to run by some, but as of press time said he was still undecided. As with many local Democrats, there is little love lost over Gallagher’s resignation.
“He loses his job for a year and collects a pension,” Nunziato said. “Justice wasn’t served.”
