NYT: Ruben Diaz, Jr. Considering Mayoral Bid

A piece in today's New York Times about the current state of the mayoral field reports that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. is mulling a run.

BP Diaz' Gambling Ways

The cover story in the latest issue of City Hall features a lengthy piece on our very own Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr, called "The Gambler,"--homage to Diaz' sometimes risky political moves, from his running for Assembly at the tender age of 22, to taking on Mayor Bloomberg over the Kingsbridge Armory to his speculated run for Mayor in 2013.

The story, of course, delves into the Kingsbridge Armory battle and the uncertain future of the still-vacant building, which Diaz said lies ultimately in the hands of Bloomberg, his political enemy number one.

"The decision on whether or not something's going to be developed there is going to come from City Hall," Diaz told the paper. A final proposal for the Armory will be made this spring or summer, the story says, and then will be at Bloomberg's disposal.

The article goes on to discuss Diaz Jr.'s relationship with his controversial father, State Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., and says that the Rev. could be the BP's "biggest liability of all" if he does make a run for Mayor.

You can read the whole piece here. Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Confusion over Koppell's endorsement of Thompson

At the Bronx Puerto Rican parade on Sunday, several Bronx politicians endorsed City Comptroller Bill Thompson for mayor, according to a press release fired out by his office later than day.

“I want to thank Assemblymember Carl Heastie, Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz, Councilmember Oliver Koppell, Councilmember Annabel Palma and Councilmember Maria Baez for their endorsement," Thompson said in the release. "With their help and the support of 1.4 million New Yorkers who live in the Bronx we can take back New York City.”

The following day we posted a blurb and a couple of quotes, and that should have been that. But Thompson (or his spokeswoman, Anne Fenton, who used to work for Adolfo Carrion) may have been a little presumptuous. Last night we received an e-mail from Koppell that read, in part, "... your report of my endorsement of Thompson and other citywide candidates is not accurate. I have made no endorsements in City wide contests at stake in the Democratic primary."

Koppell was alerted to our original post by Maura Keaney, head of field operations for Bloomberg's re-election campaign. Keaney, of course, would like Koppell to support her boss, the incumbent.

Mayor To Set Up Bronx Campaign Office

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has given every indication he will spend whatever it takes to retain his job for another term, is setting up a Bronx campaign office, as well as one in each of the other four boroughs on Saturday afternoon. [Here's his new Web site, which features a short video showing a handful of people (apparently New Yorkers) telling you why you should vote for him.]

According to a press release, the first we've received from his campaign office, the Bronx office will open at 1 p.m. at 2542A White Plains Road, which is between Mace and Allerton avenues.

Bloomberg is being challenged by Comptroller Bill Thompson and Councilman Tony Avella ("The Revolition starts...now"), both Democrats. Republican supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis is also contemplating a bid, while Anthony Weiner, a Democratic Brooklyn congressman who was once thought of as a serious contender, has yet to formally announce his candidacy.