New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday called a special election in the race to succeed former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm on Staten Island. The special election will be held May 5, Mr. Cuomo said. U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein had ordered Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, to set a date for the election by the end of the week. Mr. Grimm, a Republican who was re-elected in November over Democrat Domenic Recchia, resigned Jan. 5 after pleading guilty to tax fraud related to a restaurant he once owned. The only Republican candidate is Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan. There are a handful of possible Democratic contenders, including Brooklyn City Councilman Vincent Gentile, Brooklyn Assemblyman William Colton and Robert Holst, a Staten Island electrician and a founder of the Middle Class Action Project, an advocacy group. The congressional seat represents all of Staten Island and a sliver of southern Brooklyn.
The Democratic nominee will be chosen by Democratic Committee of Richmond County Chairman John Gulino and Kings County Democratic Chairman Frank Seddio, in Brooklyn. Messrs. Gentile, Colton and Holst have been interviewed by the Democratic Party officials on Staten Island.
The party will name a candidate Monday, said Thomas Feeney, executive director of the Democratic Committee of Richmond County. “We have three quality candidates. We’re excited for May 5,” Mr. Feeney said. “We do have a game plan.”
Full Article: Cuomo Sets Election Date to Fill Grimm’s House Seat – WSJ.