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Former Mayor Bill de Blasio is planning to soon create an exploratory committee to consider a run for a congressional swing seat that is drawing plenty of national attention in this year’s midterm elections, The Post has learned.
Sources familiar with de Blasio’s thinking said Saturday he’s planning to take advantage of a redistricting plan recently approved by state Democrats that would reshape the district boundaries.
The new borders for the 11th Congressional District snake north to include de Blasio’s home in Park Slope and other more liberal Brooklyn neighborhoods, countering conservative Staten Island.
De Blasio is planning to set up a committee to explore challenging former Rep. Max Rose in a June Democratic primary and potentially begin raising campaign funds. The winner would likely square off in November against Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Staten Island Republican who rode a red wave of support for Donald Trump during the 2020 general election to defeat Rose.
“[De Blasio’s] called dozens of people trying to line up support,” said one top Brooklyn Democratic operative. “We’re expecting an announcement on the exploratory committee very soon.”
Two Democratic operatives said there’s growing concern within the district that de Blasio could defeat Rose under the new political boundaries — yet lose to Malliotakis, who de Blasio easily defeated in the 2017 mayoral race. But party members believe Rose has a good shot at beating Malliotakis in a head-to-head rematch, they added.
The Post reported Friday that de Blasio is paying for a private survey asking voters in the district, which covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, whether they’d support him.
Messages left with Malliotakis and Rose on Saturday night were not immediately returned, but both pols have already begun trying to use de Blasio’s unpopularity with many New Yorkers to solicit campaign funds from New Yorkers.
“Bill de Blasio is considering running against me in our new district connecting Staten Island to Park Slope. We must keep this CLOWN out of Congress,” said one recent fundraising solicitation by Malliotakis’ campaign texted to some district voters.
De Blasio recently abandoned a run for governor that he hinted at before being forced out of office by term limits at the end of 2020. He previously competed in the 2020 presidential race but dropped out a year early after failing to gain more than 1 percent support in national polls.
Peter Ragone, a longtime de Blasio advisor, did not respond to messages about de Blasio’s interest in the congressional race.
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