By David Brand

Councilmember Rory Lancman formally dropped out of the race for Queens District Attorney and endorsed Borough President Melinda Katz — who he has criticized in TV ads and various candidate forums — Friday morning. Lancman’s announcement comes a day after the Eagle first reported on his decision to end his campaign and just four days ahead of the primary election.

Lancman and Katz held a press conference at the New Jerusalem Worship Center in South Jamaica to explain the move.

“The numbers are simply not there for me to win this Tuesday’s Democratic primary for district attorney,” he said. “I’m especially concerned about causing a split in South Queens, effectively diluting the community most impacted by the decisions our next DA must make.”

Lancman said Katz “has successfully made the effort to garner support in every community of our borough,” and added that he did not have a conversation with Queens County Democratic Party leadership before deciding to bow out.

“This has nothing to do with the Queens County Democratic Party organizations. I’ve had no conversations, no signals, no winks, no nods,” Lancman said. “No communication whatsoever with the Queens County Democratic Party.”

Katz said the importance of the DA race was “not a game.”

“This is not political maneuvering,” she added.

“We understand … that this decision needs to be made by the people of the borough, by the constituents that live her and [by] the people like he has said that are most impacted by criminal justice reform and by that system in which we are now living,” Katz said.