Dems pick candidate to vie for Grimm’s seat

New York Democrats have their man for the race to fill former Republican Rep. Michael Grimm’s vacant congressional seat.

The Staten Island Advance reports that Brooklyn Councilman Vincent Gentile will represent Democrats in the May 5 special election. He’ll face Republican Daniel Donovan for the 11th District seat representing Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn.

{mosads}Gentile’s selection was an uphill battle for New York Democrats. The party’s first pick, Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-N.Y.), chose not to seek the vacant seat. Their second pick, former Rep. Michael McMahon (D-N.Y.), also backed away from the race.

Republicans, meanwhile, have quickly coalesced around Donovan, the Staten Island district attorney who received national attention as the prosecutor in the Eric Garner choke hold case. The district traditionally leans conservative, though it has voted Democratic during presidential elections.

Grimm won reelection in November by double-digits, despite a 20-count federal indictment against him. After pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion, he resigned without joining the 114th Congress.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced the special election after speculation he’d keep the seat vacant until the 2016 general election. A federal judge forced the governor’s hand by ruling in favor of a group suing for a vote for the empty seat.