The prosecutor in the racially charged case in which a grand jury cleared a New York City policeman in the chokehold death of Eric Garner is considering a bid to replace outgoing Republican Rep. Michael Grimm.
"I am deeply flattered by the enthusiastic expressions of support I have received over the last 12 hours, and I am very seriously considering the race," Staten Island's Republican district attorney Daniel Donovan said in a statement Tuesday,
The Hill reports.
Donovan is one of the most popular elected officials on Staten Island, taking 70 percent of the vote in his 2011 re-election campaign, and 65 percent of the borough vote in his unsuccessful race for attorney general in 2010, according to the
Staten Island Advance.
But his handling of the Garner grand jury, which put him in a national spotlight, may have squandered some of the cross-party support he's historically received, the Advance reports. The lack of an indictment triggered protests and was
cited by the deranged assassin of two New York City police officers on Dec. 20.
Donovan's interest came a day after Grimm — reversing his insistence he'd remain on Capitol Hill despite his guilty plea last week to tax evasion — announced he'd resign Jan. 5, The Hill notes.
He said he's "been asked by numerous elected officials, party leaders, supporters and the media" over the past week about a possible run for Grimm's district.
"My response was that at that time there was no vacancy so any discussion of a run was premature," Donovan said, adding his phone "has been ringing off the hook" since Grimm's resignation.
"I will make an announcement after the due deliberation such an important decision deserves," he said.
Another prominent Republican with an interest in Grimm's seat is state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, telling The Associated Press she was "looking at the race" and noting she was the only Republican who has represented both Brooklyn and Staten Island.
"I've won races on both sides of the bridge," she said.
The Advance notes state Republican Sen. Andrew Lanza, a former prosecutor, is a strong fundraiser with allies among Democrats as well as Republicans.
The AP reports possible Democratic candidates include state Assemblyman Michael Cusick and former Rep. Michael McMahon, who lost to Grimm in 2010. Former city council member Domenic Recchia, who lost to Grimm last month, is considered unlikely to run.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo will declare a special election to replace Grimm following his resignation Monday night; party leaders will caucus to choose their candidates to place on the ballot, The Hill reports.