Sources: Congressman Ed Towns Looking to Run for District Leader
February 16, 2011 | 6:40 p.m
Congressman Ed Towns is looking to run for his son's district leader seat according to two sources in Brooklyn that have spoken with Towns or with one of his associates.
"I think Ed is thinking about what he does next," said one Brooklyn operative. "He wants influence on redistricting and he wants to have influence in the county [Democratic Party.]."
District leaders however are the lowest rung on the political totem poll, and would be a particuarly odd move for someone who is one of the most senior Democrats in Washington, D.C. But Towns could have an eye on a bigger prize: taking over as county leader from the powerful Vito Lopez. "Ed is the only person who could put together a credible challenge to Vito," said another Brooklyn political insider.
Lopez and Towns have feuded for years, and Lopez appeared to have one-upped Towns when Towns' son Darryl announced that he would step down from the Assembly to take a job with the Cuomo administration. Lopez loyalist Erik Dilan is widely seen as the front-runner for that seat. But if Ed Towns decides to run for district leader, it could set off a pitched battle for the state committee seat. The female district leader in the area is Jannitza Luna, Dilan's wife, and she and Lopez could try to find an ally to run for the post.
Darryl Towns had to give up the title of distict leader when he took the job as housing czar in the Cuomo administration.Calls to Ed Towns' office were not returned.
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