Vito Fossella Announces He Won't Run for Re-Election

Deciding that a DWI arrest and an extramarital affair resulting in a love child are too much burden going into November elections, Representative Vito Fossella has announced he will end his stint in Congress when his current term ends. He posted a letter explaining his decision--he wants to "concentrate on healing the wounds that I have caused to my wife and family"--on his website (the full letter is also below).

Fossella's decision comes after a weekend of what the Daily News calls "one final weekend of politicking", which actually fueled speculation he might consider running for reelection and scared the GOP. Now the Republican party has to consider who might run for Fossella's seat--Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan and State Senator Andrew Lanza are frequently mentioned as possibilities--and some Staten Island Democrats might be up for a run, though there are two Brooklyn Dems (City Councilman Domenic Recchia and lawyer Stephen Harrison) in the race.

All in all, it's a shocking political end for someone who, as the NY Times describes, was considered a "popular wunderkind of Republican politics on Staten Island" and a "family-values moderate Republican." Next, Fossella faces a court appearance in Alexandria, VA for his DWI--the prosecutors have said they will not deal, which means he'll be spending 5 days in jail if convicted.

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By Jen Chung in News on May 20, 2008 9:45 AM

Comments [rss]

blablanyc

Next stop for Vito is Monsignor Farrell's detention hall.

abcohen

YAHHHH... now if he can only announce which women he'll live with after his public life is over!!

Daniel Millstone

It appears, as I hunt and peck, that Steve Harrison is the only one seeking the Democratic nod to replace Mr. Fossella. Liz Benjamin at the Daily Politics writes that she has confirmed long standing rumors that Domenic Recchia's not running.

Steven

Did he is even write that letter or did one of his staff do it for him?

Tim N.

Damn.

I was looking forward to this.

Maybe he should go back to Ohio (sorry, wrong post).

ANGRYGOD11

Vito had little choice in the matter.

When you are on the front page of the NY Post, several times, as a slime ball, it's a little hard to raise money and the GOP won't waste it on him.

Without money, it's doubtful Vito could even get the Republican nomination.