Hoffnung Decides Not to Run and Endorses Cohen

  In what was expected to be a long awaited announcement that he was going to enter the race for the 11th City Council seat to replace term limited Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, Ari Hoffnung has decided to endorse leading candidate Andrew Cohen for the 11th council seat instead. Ari Hoffnung who ran for the 11th City Council seat in 2005 said that he would be making a decision as far back as January 1st of this year, but kept pushing it off. Recently Hoffnung was told that the almost $82,000.00 in his campaign account from 2005 be would eligible for matching funds this year, but that he could not raise any new funds as long as he was Deputy Comptroller. Hoffnung tried to put together a campaign this year, but as candidate Andrew Cohen had locked up all the local elected officials, most of the many mayoral candidates, and the powerful Ben Franklin Democratic Club endorsements there was little if any left to get. Cohen's current major opponent Cliff Stanton has only the endorsement of a group of hired mercenaries whose leader is now on the Stanton payroll.

  After several hard thinking months Ari Hoffnung thought that it would be better for himself, his young children, and a pregnant wife if he decided to endorse his neighbor and friend Andrew Cohen rather then put his family through a tough campaign that he might not win. I asked if his endorsement would lead to John Liu endorsing candidate Cohen, Hoffnung said that he could not speak for Comptroller Liu on that subject. Of the money still left in his campaign war chest, Hoffnung said that the city would get the matching funds while he would still keep the campaign active for a possible future run.

Left - Ari Hoffnung announces that he is not running, but supporting candidate Andrew Cohen for the 11th City Council seat.

right - Candidate Andrew Cohen thanks Ari Hoffnung for his support in the race for the 11th City Council seat. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is also in the photo to Mr. Cohen's left.

Left - Assemblyman Dinowitz (left), Ari Hoffnung (right), pose for photo with Candidate Andrew Cohen (center).

Right - Candidate Cohen is already getting some advice from Ari Hoffnumg.

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Cohen Picks up Endorsement of Padernacht in 11th Council District

      In front of the Shalom Aleichem Houses in the Van Cortlandt Village section of the Bronx, where Mr. Dan Padernacht both works and lives, he brought out several of his supporters to endorse the candidacy of Andrew Cohen for the 11th City Council seat. Mr. Padernacht is best known from 2010 when he entered the race for the 33rd State Senate that was occupied then by State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. Mr. Padernacht a member of Community Board 8 and has been the Chairman of the boards Traffic & Transportation Committee the past few years. It was rumored that Mr. Padernacht would be running for the 11th council seat currently occupied by term limited Councilman G. Oliver Koppel, but after speculation that Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz would run it held back Mr. Padernachts council campaign. While Padernacht felt he could easily beat the only announced candidate at the time Mr. Cliff Stanton, he had to contemplate the candidacy of Assemblyman Dinowitz.  Mr. Andrew Cohen later decided to go ahead with his campaign for city council, and started to rack up the endorsements of the local elected officials as well as many others including numerous unions. With petition gathering for the September Primary only a few weeks away it was time to decide to continue a candidacy for city council or endorse one of the announced candidates. Mr. Padernacht chose to endorse the candidacy of fellow Community Board 8 member and friend, Andrew Cohen for the 11th City Council seat citing Mr. Cohen's record of achievement and commitment to the community. 

       Candidate Andrew Cohen said  “Dan Padernacht's credentials as an activist committed to the community and city are familiar to all of us who care for the Bronx". “As the Chair of the Traffic and Transportation Committee for Community Board 8, Dan has stood up to irresponsible developers, always putting the will of the people and the betterment of our neighborhoods first. His endorsement is an important validation for my campaign and I welcome his support with enthusiasm as we work together to make the 11th Council District even better.”

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