De Blasio, newly departed from office, eyeing congressional run

NEW YORK — Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is eyeing a congressional run, now that his Park Slope, Brooklyn address has been redistricted, two people familiar with his thinking confirmed.

De Blasio, a lifelong Democrat, would challenge former Rep. Max Rose in a June primary if he decides to jump into the race. The victor will likely face incumbent Nicole Malliotakis, whose advantage in a district that supported Donald Trump in 2020 was diminished by new district lines released this week that swap out swing areas in Southern Brooklyn with more progressive neighborhoods.

Malliotakis, who beat Rose in 2020, called the redistricting “a blatant attempt by the Democrat leadership in Albany to steal this seat, even after New Yorkers voted twice by ballot referendum for non-partisan maps.”

The statement, provided by her campaign, said she’d run for her seat again despite the new lines.

The New York Post first reported the news Wednesday night.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is already gunning for Malliotakis, trying to tie her to Trump and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. “Malliotakis is not just out of touch with New Yorkers, she’s downright dangerous — and her extremism will be rejected at the ballot box,” a spokesperson for the committee said in a statement Wednesday.

De Blasio’s Park Slope home, which he plans to move back into once a renovation is complete, is currently represented in Congress by Yvette Clarke — a close ally of his whom he would be unlikely to challenge. But he has no such relationship with Rose, who ran a campaign ad two years ago blasting the then-mayor.

“Bill de Blasio is the worst mayor in the history of New York City,” Rose stated in the 15-second ad. “That’s it guys.”

It wasn’t enough for Rose to win over the Republicans and conservative Democrats on Staten Island he had briefly represented in Congress.

De Blasio’s allies believe he could perform well among Black and Latino voters in parts of the district, though he has remained unpopular among conservative white voters and progressives of his native Park Slope alike, according to polls.

The former mayor has not yet decided how to spend his time since leaving office Dec. 31, after eight years leading the city. He briefly considered a run for governor — a long haul given incumbent Kathy Hochul’s fundraising and polling advantages, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams’ popularity with left-wing voters.