Former veteran state Assemblyman Peter Abbate is mulling a return to Albany, and is eying a seat outside his old Brooklyn district that would set up a faceoff with fellow Democratic lawmaker William Colton, sources told The Post.
Abbate, 74, is openly talking in political circles about challenging his political rival, several Democratic operatives in the borough said.
He recently accused Colton of being a “closet” Republican and not backing many Democratic causes and candidates, yet he told The Post he’s made no decision about running in 2024.
However, he claimed many longtime supporters are begging him to run for Colton’s Assembly seat representing Bath Beach and parts of Bensonhurst and Gravesend.
“The people who keep asking me to run against Colton are upset with him,” insisted Abbate, who criticized his rival for refusing to back the re-election bid of Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) and other Democratic candidates.
Brannan is locked in a tough re-election fight to retain his southern Brooklyn seat against fellow Councilman Ari Kagan, who flipped from a Democrat to a Republican to run in the general election this November after his current district and Brannan’s were merged into one.
Abbate shockingly lost his Assembly seat representing parts of Bensonhurst, Borough Park and Sunset Park after 36 years last November, when he was defeated by Republican Lester Chang during a red surge in southern Brooklyn.
Colton, who is longtime ally and political mentor of Kagan’s, did not return messages.