Avella weighs run for mayor

By Gina Martinez

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) is considering the possibility of running for mayor next year.

Avella, who served as an aide to Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, says while he currently isn’t planning on announcing a run or starting a campaign at this time, he is certainly testing whether the support is there. Avella served as a councilman from 2002-2009 representing the 19th District, which covers parts of College Point, Whitestone and Bayside. He ran for mayor in 2009 but lost and has been the state senator of the 11th District since 2010. He announced his run for Queens borough president in 2012 but dropped out of the race in 2013.

The senator has been openly critical of de Blasio. In 2015 he was quoted by the New York Post as saying:

“The mayor’s close staff are very arrogant and not responsive,” he said “I personally believe we have an absentee mayor.”

While nothing is yet confirmed, Avella says he has been encouraged by constituents to run.

“It’s no secret that Senator Avella (and most of Queens) is not happy with the current mayoral administration and their policies,” a spokesman for Avella said “There’s also been a growing wave of encouragement from Queens expressing their desire for Senator Avella to enter the primary field which the senator is recognizing.”