Kevin Peter Carroll‘s fundraiser for his re-election as the Democratic leader for the 64th Assembly District District next year showed he’s got a lot of juice and is a future political candidate to watch.
The event, held Tuesday at The Salty Dog on Third Avenue, drew Kings County Democratic Party Boss Frank Seddio, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Council Members Vincent Gentile and Mark Treyger, newly-elected Assemblywoman Pam Harris and some 20 Brooklyn judges.
Among the other Democratic Party District leaders writing checks and chewing the political cud at the large watering hole were in no particular order Olanike (Ola) Alabi (57th District), Cory Provost (58), Anthony (Ant) Jones (55), Joe Bova and Betty Ann Canizio (49), Geoffrey Davis and Shirley Patterson (43), Jacob Gold (44), Ari Kagan (45) and Mark Davidovich (46).
Among the political gossip overheard is that Sam Pierre is expected to put up a strong challenge to Seddio’s preferred candidate Jamie Williams, rallying the large Haitian-American voting block in the upcoming open 59th Assembly seat election.
At the same time, though, Pierre’s cousin, freshman Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte should watch her flank as she runs for re-election in the 42nd District. Both the large Orthodox Jewish minority vote and Seddio might look for another Caribbean candidate to take Bichotte on, and that Bichotte, to consolidate her power, might look for someone to challenge the male district leader, Ed Powell, a holdover from former Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs’ rein.
Other talk centered around that term-limited Brownsville City Council Member Darlene Mealy possibly taking on and swapping seats with Brownsville Assemblywoman Latrice Walker. Either way, there is expected to be a large field of candidates looking to take Mealy’s 41st City Council District seat.
Speaking of political scrums, Carroll is said to be eying the 43rd City Council Seat in 2017 as Gentile is term limited – something he refused to confirm or deny.
“Right now I’m focussed on my re-election as district leader, which is next year. so 2017 in two years is a lifetime in politics. It’s flattering to hear that people think i would do so well as to put me into consideration for city council.
Among the other names being bantered around for the seat Bay Ridge Democrats President Justin Brannan, Palestinian-American Linda Sarsour and Assemblyman Peter Abbate.
“I think there’s going to be a lot more candidates,” said Carroll, who works in City Councilman Stephen Levin‘s office. “There’s always a candidate that no one knows that comes out and its a surprise to everyone. I trust the people of Bay Ridge, Dyker, Bensonhurst and Bath Beach to pick a good city councilman to replace our term limited longest serving member.”
