By: Nick Carraway

The upcoming June 24 primary election for New York City Council is generating headlines for more than just politics – it’s drawing national attention for the attempted political resurrection of one of the city’s most infamous former lawmakers: Anthony Weiner.

As the New York Post reported, Weiner is now attempting a return to public office, years after his stunning downfall stemming from a sexting scandal involving a minor that landed him a 21-month federal prison sentence. The 60-year-old former congressman has entered the race for City Council District 2 in Manhattan, which includes the East Village and Lower East Side, aiming to replace outgoing Councilmember Carlina Rivera.

Weiner’s entry into the crowded Democratic primary field – which includes four other candidates – is an eyebrow-raising twist in an already tense election cycle. Speaking with the Post, Weiner acknowledged the challenges ahead: “I’m trying to do a high-wire act blindfolded over a pond of angry alligators, you know?” he said. “I got my scandal. I haven’t run in a while, and I am running as a different kind of candidate.”

Weiner insists he isn’t running from his past. He told the Posthe’s “not hiding” from the controversy that ended his once-promising career, and that voters seem more interested in practical leadership than tabloid history. He’s banking on his experience in government and his centrist appeal to stand out in a race he says is dominated by far-left contenders.

Among those challengers is Assemblyman Harvey Epstein (D-Manhattan), whom Weiner accuses of being too ideologically extreme for everyday voters. According to the Post, Weiner believes the Democratic Party has drifted away from practical policies, citing issues like fare evasion and bloated police overtime budgets as examples of misplaced progressive priorities.

“I don’t think it’s progressive to let five people hop the subway turnstile while one person pays,” Weiner said, also criticizing the city for spending nearly $1.5 billion on police overtime instead of hiring more officers.

Weiner’s rivals also include Sarah Batchu, a nonprofit executive and former aide to ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio. Though Epstein has avoided personal scandal, he was the subject of an SNL sketch in 2023 poking fun at his unfortunately familiar name – one he shares with both Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein, two disgraced figures synonymous with sex crimes.

As the Post noted, Weiner isn’t the only former lawmaker seeking redemption. Ex-Councilmembers Ruben Wills, Andy King, and Fernando Cabrera are all attempting comebacks. Wills was previously convicted of corruption, though that verdict was later overturned. King was expelled from the Council in 2020 for ethics violations, while Cabrera, a pastor and former senior advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, drew widespread criticism for his past homophobic statements, including praise for Uganda’s anti-gay regime.

In Brooklyn’s District 48, a fierce Republican primary fight between incumbent Inna Vernikov and former Democrat Ari Kagan is also drawing attention. As The Post has extensively reported, the race has turned nasty despite both candidates sharing similar views on crime, homelessness, and antisemitism.

Kagan has accused Vernikov of being “absent” from her duties, while Vernikov counters that Kagan is “a fraud” who’s a Democrat in disguise. Vernikov, a leading pro-Israel voice during the Israel-Hamas war, has secured key endorsements from police, correction officers, and firefighters unions, as well as Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).