Aravella all alone now

From the Daily News:

AND THEN there was one.

Democratic Assembly candidate John Ciafone has officially dropped out of the race for the 36th Assembly seat in Queens.

Ciafone is the second Democrat to skip the race for the spot currently held by Michael Gianaris, who is seeking the seat of retiring state Sen. George Onorato.

Last month, lawyer Jeremiah Frei-Pearson said he was stepping out of the three-way contest to avoid a messy primary battle.

Ciafone's decision leaves just one candidate in the race - lawyer Aravella Simotas, who is supported by the Queens Democratic Party.

Photo from the Times Ledger

Astoria assembly race now down to 2

From the Daily News:

Just confirmed that Jeremiah Frei-Pearson of Astoria is dropping out of the three-way Democratic primary for state Assembly in District 36.

"Because the dynamics of the race have recently changed and the only path to victory would contrast our shared values as Democrats, Jeremiah Frei-Pearson has decided to end his Assembly campaign. I commend him for putting the principles that unite us as Democrats ahead of one election. It has been my great honor to work on his campaign and I look forward to his continuing leadership in our community," spokesman Michael Murphy told me.

Frei-Pearson, a lawyer, has been competing against two other candidates for the Assembly seat being vacated by Michael Gianaris, who's looking to move up to the state Senate.

Aravella Simotas, a lawyer who seeks to become the first Greek-American woman elected to the Assembly, has the backing of Gianaris and Rep. Joe Crowley, the county chairman, as well as locking up a slew of institutiional and labor support, including Rep. Carolyn Maloney, state Sens. George Onorato and José Peralta, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former Council Speaker Peter Vallone, Sr. and his son, Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr., Councilmen James Van Bramer and Daniel Dromm and Assemblymembers Grace Meng and Micah Kellner.

Also vying for the seat: John Ciafone, who has faced questions -- including from the Daily News -- about his legal residence.

Wow, what a choice... Apparently Frei-Pearson didn't want to go negative.