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New York: Report Says King’s ‘06 Foe Focusing on State Bid

The man who last cycle gave Rep. Peter King (R) his toughest race in a decade does not appear to be gearing up for a rematch of the race.

Newsday reported this week that Nassau County Legislator David Mejias (D), who held King to 56 percent of the vote in 2006 despite getting into the race fairly late, has opened a new state and local fundraising committee and appears poised to challenge a sitting Republican state Senator.

Although Mejias told Newsday, “I like what I do, and don’t wake up every morning and think about running for higher office,” he did make the scene in Albany last week for Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s (D) State of the State speech, and at a reception the same day was urged to run for Senate by the state Senate minority leader. Spitzer headlined a fundraiser for Mejias’ new committee in December, the newspaper reported.

With Mejias apparently out of the picture, the Democrats have no obvious strong contender for King’s seat, and national Democrats appear much more focused on ousting Rep. Vito Fossella, the lone Republican in the New York City Congressional delegation.

Nassau County Legislator David Denenberg (D) has openly contemplated challenging King but has taken no visible steps toward running. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, who is term-limited in 2009, would be viewed as an ideal Democratic candidate for the seat, but there is little evidence at this point that he is interested.

The Long Island Congressional district is competitive in presidential elections, but King has held it since 1992.
— Josh Kurtz

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