nws Reichard

Democrat Richard Reichard will run against Rep. Daniel Donovan for Congress. He speaks to the county committee in South Beach on Thursday evening. (Staten Island Advance/Rachel Shapiro)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - A retired city employee and former president of a Staten Island political club is the Democratic Party's pick to run against Rep. Daniel Donovan in November.

Richard Reichard, a former president of the Staten Island Democratic Association and retired member of the city Department of Finance, won support of his party Thursday night to challenge the popular incumbent.

Democratic Committee Chairman John Gulino introduced Reichard to county committee members gathered at the Crystal Room in South Beach Thursday evening, recalling the party's win in the district attorney's race, electing Michael McMahon.

The victory in that race vindicated the party against critics who thought the Republican candidate, Joan Illuzzi, would win.

Like that race, Gulino expects to win this one.

"We're winning elections, forget the critics, forget the newspaper, they're saying the same thing," the chairman said. "Dan Donovan's seat is not a safe seat."

Introducing Reichard, Gulino called him, "the gentlemen who's going to give Dan Donovan hell."

Despite Gulino's words, Reichard is expected to face an uphill battle against Donovan (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) whose seat is deemed "safe Republican" in the coming election.

Reichard, a liberal Democrat, said he would champion middle class issues like addressing the high cost of college tuition and debt and an unfair tax system that favors the wealthy. He blasted billionaires and corporations that hurt the middle class and vowed to support keeping Medicare and Social Security viable.

He looks forward to a "vigorous debate on the issues" with Donovan he said, and in an interview, said he would run a campaign without mud slinging.

Reichard is one of five people who interviewed with the party in hopes they might be chosen to run on the line in November. A sixth person interviewed shortly before the county committee meeting Thursday evening and was not nominated.

The executive board recommended Reichard to the county committee at large, which voted unanimously to nominate him.

Reichard, 62, West Brighton, has never run for public office before and said he is considering seeking the Working Families Party line and Green Party line on the November ballot