Another Dem Eyes The (NY) 13th CD (Fossella's Seat)

Add long-time Assemblyman Peter Abbate Jr. to the growing list of Democrats interested in Rep. Vito Fossella's seat, DN Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett writes.

Abbate, a Brooklyn Democrat who has been in the Assembly 22 years, said several labor leaders approached him last week during a fundraiser to see if he would be interested and that he had a discussion about the seat with Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez earlier this week.

"I love it up here, but if I do decide to run, it's because I feel an obligation to my district," said Abbate, a former 11-year congressional aide to ex-Rep. Stephen Solarz, who, like Abbate, started his political career in the Legislature. "Vito just doesn't represent the district."

Abbate has strong ties to the unions as chairman of the Assembly Gobernment Employment Committee.

What does seem clear, so far, according to people who have spoken with Mr. Fossella, is that the congressman has no plans to resign. His deliberations seem to be focused on whether to run for re-election this year. “He’s absolutely not going to resign,” said a Staten Island Republican official who has spoken with Mr. Fossella, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of his relationship with the congressman. “He doesn’t look at that as a viable option.”