Ex-N.Y. gov David Paterson may seek Congress seat

Catalina Camia | USA TODAY

Just what is it with New York Democrats and political comebacks, anyway?

Former New York governor David Paterson told the Associated Press that he's "definitely looking at" running for Congress if veteran Rep. Charles Rangel decides to retire from his Harlem-based seat.

If Paterson became a candidate, he would follow a path now being walked by Eliot Spitzer, his predecessor as governor and currently a candidate for New York City comptroller. Paterson, then Spitzer's lieutenant governor, stepped into the state's top political job after Spitzer resigned in 2008 amid a prostitution scandal.

On his first full day as governor, Paterson admitted in an extraordinary news conference that he had had extramarital relationships in the past but had been faithful to his wife in recent years.

When he was in the state Senate, Paterson's district overlapped many parts of Rangel's congressional district. His father, Basil, is a longtime political leader in Harlem and friend of Rangel.

"I'm looking to see if someone will come forward to really speak for a changing and diverse community that is the congressional district," David Paterson is quoted as saying.

There has been speculation that Rangel, now 83 years old, won't run for another term because he has lagged in fundraising. He raised about $231,000 through the end of June and has about $160,000 in the bank, according to records kept by PoliticalMoneyLine.

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