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With well more than a year to go before primary season in the races for City Council and citywide positions, contenders from Queens are coming out of the woodwork to vie for the 12 borough seats in the Council, for borough president and a handful of city slots – including mayor, comptroller and public advocate.

As of the Tuesday deadline to file financial information with the City’s Campaign Finance Board, the clear frontrunner from Queens is Anthony Weiner, who is making a second bid for mayor, after losing the 2005 primary against Fernando Ferrer of the Bronx. Weiner, who raised $3.6 million for his campaign, is one of only two who have officially declared for the seat. The second is Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who raised $180,940. Though he has not yet declared his intention with the Campaign Finance Board, the clear money front-runner for mayor is Comptroller Bill Thompson, who raised more than $4.2 million so far.

In the hunt for other citywide offices, Queens has made its name known. The race to replace Thompson as comptroller has two Queens heavy hitters and current Council members, Melinda Katz (D-Forest Hills) and David Weprin (D-Hollis), vying for the seat. Katz raised $1.8 million compared to Weprin’s $1.5 million. Other contenders for the race include Councilmen David Yassky (D-Brooklyn) at $928,562, the undeclared Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) at $1.5 million and Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion at $1.3 million.

Though they have not officially declared, Councilmen Eric Gioia (D-Woodside) and John Liu (D-Flushing) are rumored to be running and have raised $979,780 and $2.2 million respectively, though Gioia’s number may be higher – CFB did not have the data of his January filing posted yet.
Another whose data was not updated is Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., who is said to be running for borough president. So far, he has raised $668,989, though CFB still had him still listed at $279,795, his amount from July. Spokesman Andrew Moesel said Vallone is unsure why the data had not been updated, but that it does not appear to be a mistake on the councilman’s end.

Also in the race for borough president are Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Rockaway), who officially declared and posted $234,826 in funds raised, as well as the undeclared Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), who posted $77,425, and the rumored candidate Councilwoman Helen Sears (D-Jackson Heights), whose July filing shows her having raised $36,185.

In the local races for City Council, the field is wide open. Thanks to term limits, every member from Queens except for Tom White (D-Jamaica) is due to be cast out of office at the end of next year – White was elected to the post in 2005.

In the 19th District, served by Avella, candidates include Steven Anthony Behar with $4,110, Debbie Markell, who has not filed financial information, and Paul Vallone, with $47,615.

Francisco Moya is running for the 21st District seat held by Hiram Monserrate, and raised $1,650. Costa Constantinides raised $7,303 in the 22nd District, a seat held by Peter Vallone Jr. The 23rd District, currently represented by David Weprin, has Bob Friedrich with $9,416 and Dave Kerpen with $19,842. The 24th District, with Jim Gennaro, has Richard Harris, who did not file, and Michael Simanowitz, who raised $56,773. In Helen Sears’s District 25, contenders include Alphonso Quiroz, with $27,134, and Danny Dromm with $31,663, neither of whom have officially declared.

There are no current contenders listed for the seat in District 26, Eric Gioia’s, and there are no official listings for District 27, Leroy Comrie’s seat, though U.S. Rep Greg Meeks’ Chief of Staff Brian Simon has unofficially thrown his hat in the ring. His January filing has not been listed and he currently only shows $75 in the bank.

In the seat held by Melinda Katz, District 29, Lynn Schulman has raised $17,372 and Robert DeLay has not filed. In the neighboring 30th District, held by Dennis Gallagher, Elizabeth Crowley has filed with $70,770 and Angelo DiGangi has not filed.

In the 31st District, served by James Sanders, Frederick Lewis has not filed for January but previously had $690 on record.

In the 32nd District, served by Joe Addabbo, who is said to be running against Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) for State Senate this year, Frank Gulluscio has not filed and Eric Ulrich has filed with $18,565.