STATEN ISLAND — A Republican Assemblywoman from Staten Island said she's "all in" to run for mayor against Bill de Blasio after John Catsimatidis announced he won't enter the race.
Nicole Malliotakis, who is currently suing de Blasio and the city to preserve IDNYC records after the mayor threatened to destroy them to shield immigrants from Trump's administration, is working on getting a team together and plans to officially announce her run to get the GOP nomination for November's election.
"I'm all in," Malliotakis told DNAinfo on Tuesday. "I think it's clear that we were much better off prior to Bill de Blasio taking office and I don't believe that he deserves another term."
Malliotakis recently started a campaign committee in the state and filed with the Campaign Finance Board to run, but held off on an official announcement until her friend, Catsimatidis, decided if he would try another bid to get into Gracie Mansion.
However, Catsimatidis announced Monday night that he would be sitting this race out because he thinks it would be too difficult to go against an incumbent in the election.
"I have often said I have one more race for office in me. But, after careful consideration and consultation with my family, friends and advisers, I have decided the 2017 race for Mayor of New York will not be it," he said in a statement.
Malliotakis has started fundraising and said she'll seek a run on the Republican, Conservative, Independent and Reform Party lines in the race.
To get the nomination for the GOP, she'll have to compete in a crowded field that includes former New York Jet Michael Faulkner, well-funded real estate executive Paul Massey and former homicide detective Bo Dietl.
