Carrion favorite to earn Independence Party endorsement for mayoral run

Carrion favorite to earn Independence Party endorsement for mayoral run

Ron Antonelli/New York Daily News

Adolfo Carrion, pictured here at the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club Frederick R. and Margaret Coudert Clubhouse in the Bronx.

Former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr. has emerged as the heavy favorite to win the endorsement of the influential but controversial Independence Party in his run for mayor, the Daily News has learned.

The party’s backing of Carrion could transform the mayoral race â€" and potentially set up a wild, three-way battle for City Hall in November.

Carrion, who has no party affiliation after leaving the Democrats late last year, has huddled with Independence Party leaders several times in recent weeks, hoping to secure their support. “It’s all but done,” said a source close to Carrion. “They still have to officially go through their process, but we have every confidence that he will be their choice.”

An Independence Party spokeswoman declined to comment, but a party official said Carrion was “by far” the leading choice for the endorsement, which will be made next month.

Securing the Independence Party nod would guarantee that Carrion appears on the November ballot even if he fails to become the GOP’s candidate.

As of now, it’s not clear if he will even be able to enter the Republican primary. Because Carrion is not a registered Republican, he needs to receive the blessing of three of the five GOP county leaders to run on their party’s line in the city.

The Republican bosses in Brooklyn and the Bronx support him, but the Queens and Manhattan GOP chairmen back billionaire John Catsimatidis. And the Staten Island boss is leaning toward former MTA chief Joseph Lhota. The five chairmen are to have dinner on Staten Island Thursday to explore whether they can line up behind one candidate.

“I don’t know that we’ll reach any decision by tomorrow, though I hope we do soon,” said Staten Island chairman Robert Scamardella.

Carrion spokesman Davidson Goldin said only that the Carrion campaign remains “on track.”

If Carrion is able to secure the Independence Party’s backing, more GOP county chairmen might be swayed to support him. Even if the Republican bosses do not coalesce around him, sources said an endorsement by the Independence Party would likely keep him in the race â€" setting up a three-way contest on Election Day.

At least two other top-tier mayoral hopefuls, both Democrats â€" City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and City Controller John Liu â€" are seeking it this year.