Rangel, 83, would be running for his 23rd term in Congress. Manhattan Dem: 'Rangel is running'

Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel will run for reelection in 2014, a close ally of his said Tuesday.

“Congressman Rangel is running,” Manhattan Democratic Chairman and Harlem Assemblyman Keith Wright told the New York Post. “You can’t keep the old war horse down.”


Wright, who is a close ally and protégé of the lawmaker, added that Rangel is expected to make an announcement “sooner rather than later.”

( PHOTOS: Charlie Rangel’s career)

Rangel, 83, would be running for his 23rd term in Congress, having served as a member in the House since 1971.

Rangel’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from POLITICO. In a video published on YouTube on Tuesday, Rangel said he has not made up his mind but said he would be thinking about it carefully in the coming weeks.

“Of course, I haven’t given it as much thought as I should, but the time is really coming soon for those people who have to run in primaries this year for next year,” Rangel said.

In an interview with the New York Daily News on Tuesday, Rangel indicated that he would decide if he’s running for re-election sometime before Christmas.

“For those who do want to run, they have to have some time to gain support, raise the money and all those things,” Rangel told the Daily News.

The Democratic congressman faced both a tough primary challenge in 2012 from state Sen. Adriano Espaillat, and an ethics case in 2010 that resulted in Rangel being censured on the House floor. The paper reports that Rangel is expected to yet again face strong primary challengers.

A source close to Espaillat’s camp says the senator is, “Overwhelmingly likely to run in the Democratic primary for Rangel’s congressional seat.”

Alex Isenstadt and Jose DelReal contributed to this report.