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Independence Party Expected to Endorse Adolfo Carrión, Jr.

By Jill Colvin | February 20, 2013 11:58am
 Former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, Jr. is expected to receive the Independence Party endorsement.
Former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión, Jr. is expected to receive the Independence Party endorsement.
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DNAinfo/Jill Colvin

CITY HALL — Former Bronx Borough President and mayoral hopeful Adolfo Carrion Jr. is expected to receive the endorsement of the Independence Party Wednesday, setting up a three-way contest for mayor come November.

The party, which will cast its endorsement vote at an executive committee session Wednesday night, supported Mayor Michael Bloomberg in all three of his runs, and has been credited with delivering votes to candidates in tight races.

Carrion, who left the Democratic party to run for mayor, also hopes to be granted permission to run on the Republican ballot. But it remains to be seen whether he will secure enough support among the party's chairs to allow him to run on their line.

"The test of any candidacy for mayor is whether it can change the political conversation in a positive direction. In announcing his run with the Independence Party, Adolfo Carrion has already done that, he's already reshaping the race," party strategist Jacqueline Salit said in a statement.

The Independence Party endorsement has also reportedly been courted by several Democratic candidates, including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Comptroller John Liu.

But some, including long-shot Republican contender Tom Allon, have eschewed the party because of past controversies, including anti-semitic statements by its leaders.

"Tonight, a party that should be shunned for voter deception and anti-Semitism, is reportedly voting to endorse a Mayoral candidate," he said in a statement Wednesday, calling on other candidates to do the same.

"All the mayoral candidates should join me in this condemnation and boycott tonight's vote. Anything less is a vote of support for anti-Semitism and dirty politics," he said.

A party spokeswoman did not immediately response to a request for comment, but has previously denied the allegations.