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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