Kevin Parker has filed to run for New York City comptroller instead

State Sen. Kevin Parker is looking at running for Brooklyn borough president – scratch that, make it New York City comptroller. The Brooklyn state senator appears to have shifted his interest in running for borough president – first reported by Politico two weeks ago – to the likely open New York City comptroller seat.

The New York City Campaign Finance Board website now lists Parker as having a campaign committee for comptroller, not for borough president. Making such a committee transfer would be fairly straightforward, since the account has been open for less than a month and the board hasn’t dispersed any public matching funds yet.Parker did not immediately respond when asked for comment about the apparent switch.

Parker told Politico earlier this month that he was considering borough president after opening a campaign committee. “I’m looking at it. It’s a political eternity between now and the primary,” he told the outlet. “At this moment, I have no intention to challenge the borough president if he runs, but that may change.”

But running for comptroller might be a less messy path for Parker, who would have gone up against an incumbent borough president. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso was previously looking at entering the open comptroller race as current Comptroller Brad Lander prepared to jump into the mayoral primary, but Reynoso has since committed to running for reelection. Now that Reynoso is staying put, Parker appears to be looking elsewhere.

That’s not to say Parker’s path would be easy if he moves forward with a comptroller run. He previously ran and lost in 2021, finishing sixth in the Democratic primary, and next year he would face several high-profile candidates, including Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar and New York City Council Member Justin Brannan.

Parker’s more than two decades in the state Senate has been dotted with temperamental outbursts, and last year he was accused of raping a woman in 2004 under the Adult Survivors Act. Parker has denied the allegations and denies ever knowing his accuser. Parker is chair of the state Senate Committee on Energy and Telecommunications.