> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://bklyner.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Scramble To Replace Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny Begins
- URL: https://bklyner.com/who-will-replace-outgoing-assemblyman-alec-brook-krasny-bensonhurst/
- Published: 2015-07-09T19:00:20.000Z
- Updated: 2015-07-09T19:04:48.000Z
- Author: Rachel Silberstein
- Tags: Alec Brook-Krasny, russian americans, special election, #API-Imported

> Celebrating [@NYPD68Pct](https://twitter.com/NYPD68Pct?ref=bklyner.com) Captain Festino’s birthday & [@AlecBrookKrasny](https://twitter.com/AlecBrookKrasny?ref=bklyner.com) retirement from the State Assembly in [#Brooklyn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Brooklyn?src=hash&ref=bklyner.com) [pic.twitter.com/zg5Eg9JWwH](http://t.co/zg5Eg9JWwH?ref=bklyner.com)
> 
> — Nicole Malliotakis (@NMalliotakis) [July 8, 2015](https://twitter.com/NMalliotakis/status/618578575239868416?ref=bklyner.com)

Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny — who [announced last month](/brook-krasny-first-russian-american-assemblyman-plans-to-resign-on-june-7/) that he will be resigning from office — celebrated his final day in office this week, which means the scramble for his newly vacant seat has officially begun.

Possible Democratic contenders for the 46th District spot include Brook-Krasny’s chief of staff Kate Cucco; Andrew Gounardes, chief counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams; former councilman Michael Nelson; Bay Ridge lawyer John Gangemi; and Pamela Harris, executive director of the non-profit group Coney Island Generation Gap, [reports](http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2015/7/7/candidates-scramble-run-brook-krasny%E2%80%99s-seat?ref=bklyner.com) the Brooklyn Eagle.

Republicans rumored to be running for the seat include Lucretia Regina-Potter, the Republican District Leader of the 46th A.D.

At the July 7 farewell party, Brook-Krasny threw his support behind the Cucco, an Ohio native who has worked as his chief of staff for the last seven years.

The New York Observer [reports](http://observer.com/2015/07/resigning-brooklyn-assemblyman-backs-chief-of-staff-as-successor/?ref=bklyner.com):

> At a going-away party for the Democratic legislator yesterday—which was his final day in office—Mr. Brook-Krasny said he was backing top aide Kate Cucco to represent the district, which spans the neighborhoods of Bay Ridge and Coney Island.

> “Kate is totally ready. Kate is going to be a wonderful assemblywoman,” he said, citing Ms. Cucco’s experience working under him. “She’s a great legislator already. She’s a great representative, as my chief-of-staff she’s been a great representative, and she’s a great people person.”

Whoever does end up winning the assemblyman’s seat will have large shoes to fill. Brook-Krasny has long been seen as trailblazer in Brooklyn’s Russian American community. He moved to New York from Moscow in 1989, and launched a successful business — a children’s entertainment center in Brighton Beach called Fun-O-Rama — and began to get involved communal and civic life. In 2006, he became the first Soviet-born official to be elected to the state legislature.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to call a special election for the assembly seat and more candidates will likely surface in the coming weeks. Who would you like to see take Brook-Krasny’s place?