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Peralta bows out of borough president race

Peralta bows out of borough president race
By Joe Anuta

State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) dropped out of the borough president race Friday.

“In the best interests of my campaign, my family and the Queens Democratic Party, I am ending my bid for borough president effective immediately and will be supporting Melinda Katz,” he said in a statement.

Katz was recently endorsed by the party and is now competing against State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), businessman Everly Brown, City Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) and Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) in a Democratic primary.

Director of Community Boards Barry Grodenchik ended his candidacy shortly after Katz’s endorsement.

Tony Arcabascio is running as a Republican, according to the state Board of Elections.

“I want to thank the thousands of Queens residents and civic and community leaders that I had the pleasure of meeting during the course of the campaign,” Peralta said. “Your warm reception of my candidacy and your encouragement and support are enormously appreciated.”

The senator was recently named as one of nine people secretly taped by disgraced former state Sen. Shirley Huntley at the behest of the FBI as part of a push to uncover corruption in Albany.

Peralta has said he is not tied to any wrongdoing and that he has received assurances from the FBI that he is not the subject of any investigation.

“I want to assure you that, though I am discontinuing my campaign, I will continue my fight for affordable housing, tougher gun laws and more classroom seats to alleviate overcrowding in our schools. I will also continue to promote ideas and develop legislation to help spur economic development and grow jobs,” he said.

Peralta had raised a sizable war chest, raking in $301,316, and had collected the more money from Queens than any of his competitors.

Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 718-260-4566.