arrow Councilmembers Bill Perkins (left) of Harlem and Mark Gjonaj (right) of the Bronx are among legislators who ve decided not to run for re-election. John McCarten/New York City Council
Four months before the June primary, Bronx City Councilmember Mark Gjonaj has announced he won t be seeking re-election, citing the political climate that s been critical to his centrist Democratic positions. The decision now paves the way for his challenger to win the primary and ultimately become the Democratic nominee for the November election.
Gjonaj (pronounced jo-nigh) announced his decision Wednesday evening. A realtor who entered public life in 2012 after winning the 82nd Assembly District becoming the state s first Albanian-American legislator Gjonaj won the 13th Council District seat in 2017. He currently chairs the Council s Small Business Committee, where he pushed to restrict fees for third-party delivery apps while underscoring the lack of Paycheck Protection P