Bay Ridge city councilman Vincent Gentile is the latest Democrat, in an already crowded and uncertain field of congressional hopefuls, to announce his bid for Fossella’s 13th district seat this fall.
According to today’s Daily News, Gentile says he’s running, in part, because he “doesn’t believe the ‘myth’ that a candidate from outside Staten Island can’t win.”

Gentile’s bid creates an interesting set of circumstances within the Brooklyn Democratic party.

Not only is Gentile pitting himself against longtime friend and political ally, Steve Harrison, but should his bid be successful, Gentile forces a special election for his council seat, opening the floodgates to Brooklyn Democratic hopefuls for the real election in ‘09.

Those Democratic contenders are likely to include: longtime democratic rival Joan Seminara, and former Gentile staffer George Fontas.

Brooklyn Republicans believed gearing up to announce their bids are: Chairman of the Kings County Republican Party, Craig Eaton; Fossella Brooklyn staffer, Bob Capano; and State Senator Marty Golden’s press secretary, John Quaglione.