Now that Suozzi is out; Lafazan is in (Updated)

                                                                            

Joshua Lafazan

Nassau Legis. Joshua Lafazan, who squeaked out a slender victory in his race for re-election last month, today announced he is running for Congress.

The Woodbury politician, who is not registered in a major party but votes and caucuses with Nassau Democrats, made the announcement on his Facebook page. It comes after U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi said late last month he will run for New York governor next year rather than seek re-election to his Congressional seat, which runs from northern Queens, through northern Nassau into Suffolk.

Political pundits suggested Democrat Suozzi decided against re-election because his seat is likely to be redistricted unfavorably for the former Nassau county executive. They also point out that the entire district, even the Queens section, voted Republican in November's local elections.

Those qualms apparently haven't affected Lafazan.

Here is his facebook statement:

Lafazan, 27,  lost to Republican challenger Paola Pironi on election night, but pulled ahead by 220 votes 13 days later after absentee ballots were counted to win his third bid for re-election.

                                                                

From Lafazan Facebook page

UPDATE: 

Sources say Lafazan changed his registration to Democrat last week. In the past, the change in registration would not become effective until after the next general elections. But the state legislature has changed voting laws since then, and the change is now effective.

Also, a pundit points out that Lafazan, who sought and received Conservative Party support in his legislative election, has pulled at least one pro-police post off his Facebook page to make his announcement. 

The post he pulled was in support of support of Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, who had been under fire for comments critics deemed racist.

Lafazan also sponsored the controversial bill that gave police special protection under the county's Human Rights Law, sparking huge protests from progressives and Working Families Party supporters. The Working Families Party, who endorsed Lafazan in the past, did not endorse him in last month's election.

County Executive Laura Curran later vetoed the bill and Lafazan did not vote to override.

Here is the post that Lafazan pulled down:

                                                                                   

Now that its gone, maybe Lafazan will get back Working Families Party support.

But this could all be moot if Suozzi decides he's going to give up the governor's race and run for re-election after all.