THE POLITICAL horse-trading may be done, but the election race is about to start in earnest for the borough's 14 City Council seats.
The Queens Democratic Party voted Tuesday to back a slate of citywide and local candidates, including every incumbent Council member running for their seats.
In a borough dominated by Democrats, few candidates win without the party nod.
The party also hopes to knock out Eric Ulrich, the GOP's lone representative from Queens in the Council. It voted unanimously to endorse district leader Frank Gulluscio to run against Ulrich in the 32nd District.
"I'm glad the party came around, and now we can take back that seat," said Gulluscio, a former teacher and current Community Board 6 district manager.
The party voted to back incumbent Helen Sears for her Jackson Heights seat, despite a whisper campaign and published reports saying that county leaders were going to support Danny Dromm, the district leader.
"There was nearly unanimous support" for Sears, said Queens Democratic Party Executive Secretary Michael Reich. "If term limits had not changed, Danny would have been our candidate."
Lawyer and district leader Deirdre Feerick handily won the party nod for the 26th District over Jimmy Van Bramer, who works for the Queens Public Library.
In a puzzling move, district leader James Wu - a declared candidate for the seat being vacated by John Liu - voted to back John Choe, Liu's chief of staff, for the Flushing seat.
Wu is still planning to run for the seat, sources said, but didn't respond to a call for comment about his vote.
James Sanders Jr., who fell out of grace with party leaders in 2005, received the county endorsement in a crowded field of as many as a dozen competitors.
"Sanders has come a long way in the last year to repair his image in the district," Reich said.
James Gennaro, who voted to preserve term limits, is running for his seat and received party support.
Deputy borough president and former City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz got the party's endorsement in a crowded field for the Forest Hills seat.
Bayside civic leader Jerry Iannece received party backing over attorney Paul Vallone for 19th District.
Incumbent Tony Avella, who is running for mayor, is backing lawyer Steve Behar for the seat.
Assemblyman Mark Weprin received the nod for his older brother David's seat representing Queens Village and surrounding neighborhoods.
The party backed incumbent candidates Julissa Ferreras, Peter Vallone, Leroy Comrie, Thomas White and Elizabeth Crowley.
None of the openly gay candidates vying for county support received an endorsement.
