CONEY ISLAND: Big Democratic donor to join heated council race

See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Will Bredderman

Brooklyn Daily

And then there were four!

Democratic leaders say Louis Jerome, scion of a family of Manhattan real estate owners and Democratic Party donors, is about to jump into the race to replace term-limited City Councilman Domenic Recchia (D-Coney Island) — pitting him against three other already-declared candidates in the primary race.

“He’s going to announce in just a couple of days,” said a state legislator close to Jerome, lauding the 28-year-old’s personality. “He’s a great guy, great people skills, and he’ll do a great job.”

Jerome has yet to file with the city or state, leaving him far behind Assemblyman Bill Colton (D-Bensonhurst) aide Mark Treyger, Christine Quinn staffer John Lisyanskiy, and neighborhood activist Todd Dobrin, who have already declared their intentions to run for the seat that represents Coney Island, Seagate, Gravesend, and parts of Bensonhurst. But leading Democrats noted the wealth of Jerome’s family — which owns 75 Broad Street, near the New York Stock Exchange, among other valuable properties — will give him a distinct advantage when it comes to funding.

“This kid was driving a Ferrari when he was 20 years old,” a party insider said. “He’s always wanted to be in the City Council, and he’s going to spend whatever it takes to win.”

The Jeromes have long been generous to Recchia, who hopes to challenge Staten Island’s Michael Grimm for his seat in Congress in 2014.

The family has given the outgoing councilman more than $27,000 toward his various campaigns — including $8,415 that Louis Jerome has donated personally. Additionally, the Sephardic Community Center at the corner of Ocean Parkway and Avenue S — where Louis’s father Joseph Jerome and his business partner Morris Bailey sit on the board — paid for a notice in the New York Times when Recchia’s father died in 2006.

Neither Recchia nor Jerome would comment for this story.

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