Assemblyman Joseph Morelle to run for Louise Slaughter's congressional seat

UPDATE: Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle formally announced his candidacy for New York's 25th Congressional District on Monday, flanked by Mayor Lovely Warren, Monroe County Clerk Adam Bello and state Assemblyman Harry Bronson.

Rochester Board of Education President Van White said Tuesday he is collecting signatures in contemplation of a run.

Rochester Deputy Mayor Cedric Alexander later released a statement that he "strongly considered running" but concluded his work at City Hall was not done. He said he would support the next representative but did not endorse Morelle in the statement.

ALBANY - Joseph Morelle, the state Assembly's majority leader, will enter the race to succeed the late Rep. Louise Slaughter in Congress, according to four sources with direct knowledge of his plans.

Morelle, a Democrat, is set to launch his campaign Monday morning. A news conference in which Morelle is expected to announce his intentions is set to begin at 10 a.m. at Local 13 Plumbers and Pipefitters Meeting Hall, 1850 Mt. Read Blvd., Rochester.

The Irondequoit resident was first elected to the state Assembly in 1990 and became majority leader — the chamber’s second-in-command — in 2013.

A former chairman of the Monroe County Democratic Committee, Morelle also has an extensive political operation that can help garner petition signatures needed to get on the ballot.

More:

Sunday: Robin Reynolds Wilt exploring candidacy for Louise Slaughter's congressional seat

March 21: Joseph Morelle weighing run for Rep. Louise Slaughter's seat

March 24: Sen. Joe Robach won't run for Louise Slaughter's congressional seat

Candidates for the seat have until April 12 to get 1,250 signatures from party members.

Jamie Romeo, current chair of the Monroe County Democratic Committee, declined to confirm Morelle is running for the seat.

But she did confirm party leaders are encouraging him to run.

“There’s a growing consensus that we need Joe to run for this seat,” Romeo said.

Slaughter, a Democrat, represented western New York for more than 30 years. She died March 16 at the age of 88 after suffering a fall the week prior.

March 23: Louise Slaughter funeral: Luminaries, friends, family mourn 'Louise'

Her district, New York's 25th congressional district, is situated entirely within Monroe County, including the whole city of Rochester.

Morelle, 60, is one of a handful of Democrats to express interest in the race, confirming last week that he was weighing his political options.

Robin Reynolds Wilt, a Brighton Town Board member, has begun fundraising for a run for the Democratic nomination, while Rachel Barnhart — the former television reporter and mayoral candidate — has been circulating petitions but has not made a final decision on whether to enter the race.

Rochester Deputy Mayor Cedric Alexander has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.

In a phone interview Sunday, Alexander said he is leaning against jumping into the race but hasn't made a final decision.

"I’ve got a couple more days to think it through and a couple other people I still have to talk to," Alexander said.

Sunday evening, Alexander said in a text message he would announce what he will do on Monday.

James Maxwell, a neurosurgeon, is running on the Republican side, while state Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, announced Saturday he wouldn't enter the race.

January: James Maxwell seeks GOP nod to run against Slaughter

March 24: Sen. Joe Robach won't run for Louise Slaughter's congressional seat

All congressional seats are up for election in November for a full, two-year term beginning in January.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has to call a special election to fill the remainder of Slaughter's term, which runs through the end of the year.

He has not signaled when that will be, though he has the option to set the special election for the same day as the general election in November.

The federal primary election is set for June 26.

Should Morelle win the primary, he would have to forgo running for his Assembly seat, which is also on the ballot this fall.

That would open up the Assembly's majority leader position, a powerful post that leads the chamber's day-to-day operations.