Sam Levin

Adam Clayton Powell IV and Charlie Rangel on 125th Street today.

It's just politics!

That's how Adam Clayton Powell IV brushed aside questions today about why he is endorsing longtime Congressman Charlie Rangel for re-election -- after running against him (and thus frequently and harshly criticizing him) in a crowded race two years ago.

In one of the most watched local congressional races, Rangel, the incumbent who has held his Harlem seat for 40 years, is facing tough opposition in the primary as he fights to be re-elected to Congress to represent a newly-drawn district that now includes parts of the Bronx and has a larger Latino population.

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Sam Levin

Mayor Bloomberg taking questions from reporters outside City Hall today.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg today declined to give an endorsement to Charlie Rangel, a longtime incumbent fighting to keep his Harlem seat in one of the more heated congressional races in New York City this election season.

But the mayor still had (somewhat) nice things to say, and left the door open for a possible endorsement closer to voting day.

Rangel, 81, is facing what is shaping up to be the toughest opposition he has encountered since the 1970s, including campaigns from State Senator Adriano Espaillat and Clyde Williams, who is a former political director of the Democratic National Committee.

Today, a reporter asked Bloomberg -- who was at City Hall to discuss the new bike share program -- for his thoughts on Rangel's candidacy, noting that Espaillat has nabbed the endorsement of former Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer, who was also a Democratic mayoral nominee in 2005.

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Sam Levin

Rory Lancman in Queens today.

Congressional candidate Rory Lancman said today he's staying focused on the issues -- but didn't miss an opportunity to slam his opponents in the increasingly crowded -- and reliably colorful -- race to replace longtime Congressman Gary Ackerman.

Today, the Daily News reported that Jeffrey Gottlieb, a Board of Elections employee who recently entered the Queens Congressional race, is dropping out. Gottlieb, a Jewish candidate, was rumored to be a plant in the race to siphon Jewish votes away from Lancman in support of Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is the candidate of choice of the Queens Democratic Party. Gottlieb is apparently being replaced by a new candidate, Stephen Green, a Rosedale attorney.

The news gave fuel to Lancman's criticisms that Gottlieb was only in the race to hurt Lancman and help Meng -- who Gottlieb had collected signatures for before he entered the race.

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Sam Levin

Grace Meng, standing in front of Bill Thompson, John Liu, Christine Quinn, and Bill de Blasio, four mayoral hopefuls who endorsed her at City Hall today.

Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is running for Congress in a crowded race, nabbed the endorsement today of four pols who hope to be the next mayor of New York City.

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Comptroller John Liu, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and former comptroller Bill Thompson stood on the steps of City Hall under the hot sun this afternoon to endorse Meng, who is the candidate of choice of the Queens Democratic Party and who would be New York's first Asian-American member of Congress if elected.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, another mayoral hopeful, was notably absent.

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Sam Levin

Congressman Joseph Crowley at a press conference in Queens this afternoon.

A crowded race in Queens to replace longtime Congressman Gary Ackerman reached a new level of political drama today -- but the head of the Queens Democratic Party, who decided not to endorse his own cousin, is brushing aside the latest attacks, saying they come from a "misinformed" candidate.

It's election season!

Let's review the central characters here: Assemblywoman Grace Meng, the candidate of choice of the Queens Democratic Party, is up against Assemblyman Rory Lancman and City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (who is the cousin of Congressman Joe Crowley, the chairman of the Queens Dems who endorsed Meng).

Enter Jeff Gottlieb, the 70-year old Board of Elections employee who just jumped into the NY-6 race, first reported yesterday by a blog called True News.

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via Facebook

Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is running for Congress, with Jeremy Lin.

It's endorsement season in the crowded race to replace longtime Congressman Gary Ackerman -- who surprised folks last month with the announcement that he would be retiring.

You sometimes wonder how much these endorsements really matter -- but at least they offer us some insight into the kinds of demographics competing campaigns think they can attract and what credentials for the job they are trying to promote.

This afternoon, we have for you news of endorsements for Assemblywoman Grace Meng, the candidate of choice for the Queens Democratic Party, and her competition City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley.

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Sam Levin

Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who is running for Congress, in Flushing today.

Queens Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who would be New York's first Asian-American member of Congress, has raised $300,000 in ten days.

Obviously, she's thrilled.

"We are definitely excited. I think this is going to be a historical campaign that people all throughout New York and the country are looking at," Meng told the Voice this afternoon after the mayor held a press conference on senior centers in Flushing, Queens.

Meng, the candidate of choice of the Queens Democratic Party, is running in a crowded race that includes City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (the cousin of Rep. Joe Crowley, chairman of the Queens Dems, who has endorsed Meng), Assemblyman Rory Lancman (who yesterday got support from former mayor Ed Koch), and Republican Councilman Dan Halloran, who kicked off his campaign last week.

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Could Dan Halloran, our favorite member of the City Council, be running for congress?

Hunter Walker reports at Politicker that this is a possibility.

We've kept a close eye on Halloran since he ran as one of the first openly Heathens for public office in 2009, being swept onto the City Council as a Republican in the first Tea Party wave. In December of last year, we chronicled his tumultuous first couple of years as a city legislator, during which time he's demanded tolerance of his own minority religion while castigating Muslims, had multiple screaming matches with constituents and law enforcement officers alike, and been investigated for his unsubstantiated charges against the Department of Sanitation.

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Congressional district proposals for parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

Asian Americans in New York City may actually have the voting power they deserve in Congress if the lines drawn this week by a judge become reality, advocates said today.

If you haven't been following the redistricting drama closely, here's what you need to know: Since state legislators, stuck in partisan disagreements over the course of 11 months, failed to draw proposals for congressional districts, a federal magistrate stepped into create districts for New York state. Earlier than expected, this so-called "special master" released those maps this week, giving interested parties a tight deadline to submit comments. The special master has until Monday to submit the plan to a panel of three judges.

This plan could actually be adopted, although the Legislature could also come together to pass its own map before the court's process is complete -- and with a signature from Governor Andrew Cuomo, that redistricting plan could go into effect.

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Christine Quinn is also a fan of a new proposed Latino congressional district.

Yesterday, we reported on the growing support for a new majority Latino congressional district in New York City that would include parts of Upper Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. Among the increasing number of pols who have been speaking out about it are Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and City Comptroller John Liu, both likely 2013 mayoral candidates. (We're going to hazard a guess that this probably is not on Liu's mind right now, though).

Today, the office of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, another mayoral hopeful, alerted Runnin' Scared to her statement on the matter.

Guess what? She supports it, too.

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