District Attorney Dan Donovan, the Republican frontrunner for Rep. Michael Grimm's vacant seat, is officially announced his candidacy Friday. NY1's Courtney Gross filed the following report.
Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan wants to go to Washington.
Coming as no surprise, Donovan officially announced his candidacy for Congress on Friday, after heavy speculation he would seek the Republican nomination to replace Michael Grimm.
In a statement sent out at the close of business, the DA said, “In the week since my last announcement the enthusiasm for my candidacy has only broadened and intensified, with expressions of support also from beyond the two boroughs. Accordingly, please consider this my formal announcement that I will be seeking the endorsements of the Republican, Conservative, and Independence Parties in the upcoming Special Election for the 11th Congressional District of New York."
Donovan's announcement comes as his chief Republican rival in the race, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis spent the last two days in the nation’s capital, courting GOP heavy hitters, including the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee.
She told NY1 she would also be seeking the GOP, Conservative and Independence party lines.
"I feel very positive. I am getting a lot of encouragement, very positive discussions. And you know we are going to continue to move forward,” said
Here in New York, Donovan has already received the backing of the chairman of the Staten Island Republican Party, who picks the GOP nominee. Donovan will run in a special election with no primary and all of the candidates are selected by the county chairmen.
That election is called by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, something he has yet to do.
"He can call it so that the special election occurs on the September primary date or on the November election date. But he has to call it and he’ll make the decision as to when he will,” said election law expert Jerry Goldfeder.
And between now and then, other candidates could always emerge.
"I have indicated in the past that I am really not interested but I have been around this long enough to know that I could change my mind in five minutes,” said former Rep. Vito Fossella.