Padavan Says He Will Not Run Against Avella

Update: April 25, 2:00 p.m.: Former state Sen. Frank Padavan said he would not attempt to reclaim his old seat by challenging Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside.

Padavan told Patch this afternoon that he is not considering another run for office, but would support Councilman Dan Halloran's, R-Whitestone, congressional run this year.

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State Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, will not this fall, a Queens County Republican source said.

Padavan, who was the senator for northeast Queens for 38 years before , will not challenge Avella for his Senate seat, but will instead stump for Councilman Dan Halloran, R-Whitestone, who is .

“My understanding is the senator is passing on another run for the Senate and will focus his efforts on helping the councilman,” the source said.

The Northeast Queens Republican Club’s Joe Concannon would be a likely contender against Avella, the source said.

But Phil Ragusa, chairman of the Queens Republican Party, said he had not officially heard from Padavan that the former senator did not plan to run.

“Between now and then, we would, of course, consider him if he changes his mind,” Ragusa said. “If not, we’ll do our screenings in mid-May and pick the person who would make the best candidate.”

At a recent meeting in Queens, Padavan said he had been approached to make another run against Avella, but would instead focus his efforts on helping Halloran’s congressional campaign, the Times Ledger reported.

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