Israel Ruiz Considering A SpecElec Run

Friday, February 20, 2009

One thing we’ve been doing around the office is tracking down the wide array of different potential candidates who have mentioned, at one time or another, that they might consider pursuing the borough presidency (with two confirmed, of course).

One such candidate is former State Senator and City Councilman Israel Ruiz, who told me on Friday that he was also interested in jumping into the special election.

“I’m exploring,” said Ruiz, who recently sent out a mailing looking for campaign contributions to former contributors.

Ruiz said that nothing is final, and that he is also considering a run for borough president or for City Council in the 14th District against incumbent Maria Baez.

Ruiz held that council seat until 1997, when he ran for borough president against Fernando Ferrer.

(Though, to be fair, Ruiz did not seek out a Ferrer contest. When Ruiz announced for borough president, Ferrer was planning a run for mayor against Rudy Giuliani. When Ferrer opted out of the mayoral race, Ruiz stayed in the beep race rather than finagle his way back to the City Council. Obviously, Ferrer won, and Ruiz’s former seat was filled by Adolfo Carrion.)

Ruiz was unsuccessful in 2001 and 2003 races against Baez for the seat. Ruiz also ran for his former State Senate seat in 2006 against Efrain Gonzalez Jr, a seat he had held until 1989, when he was convicted of lying on a loan application. Upon his release from jail, Ruiz was victorious in the City Council race.

Ruiz said he’s spoken about his potential return to a number of people, and all the response he has gotten is positive.

“People are saying they’d like to have a discussion about who should be the next borough president, and they want me to be a part of that discussion,” said Ruiz. “The Bronx is really hurting, and we have to come up with solutions.”

--John DeSio