Rep. Towns Will Seek Reelection

Rep. Edolphus "Ed" Towns announced his intention to seek a 16th term as a Congressman from Brooklyn on Monday.

The word came a day after Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, D-Fort Greene, for Towns' seat in the 10th Congressional District at a spirited rally on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall.

"Every citizen has the right to run for elective office. That is the democratic process. I have had primaries before," Towns said. "However, I have every intention of being reelected and returning to Congress to continue my work on behalf of senior citizens, to fight for better educational opportunities, to protect reforms to healthcare and to ensure that more people get jobs."

Towns cited his tenure as a member of the Black Congressional Caucus and as chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform, a post he held until the Democrats lost their majority in 2010.

In his statement, Towns cited his seniority as one of the longest-serving current members of the House of Representatives. The veteran Democrat has been reelected 15 times, with the most recent primary battle occurring in 2010 against Kevin Powell, who made Towns' support of Hillary Clinton over President Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary a campaign issue.

In his announcement on Sunday, Jeffries suggested the he may do the same, highlighting his continued admiration of the nation's first black President's "calm, cool and collected" demeanor in a speech devoid of any mention of his incumbent opponent.

Councilman Charles Barron, D-East New York, also announced his candidacy in November.

However, the timing of Towns' reelection announcement indicated that it was Jeffries that the Congressman and his staff considered his chief opponent.

According to federal campaign finance records, Towns had $11,240 in cash on hand for his reelection as of the end of the third quarter of 2011.

Jeffries reported raising $173,873, with the vast majority of funds coming from individual contributors.

At Sunday's event, Jeffries told reporters that though he expected a tough contest, he thought a desire for change would eventually win out in his bid to send Towns home after three decades in Washington, D.C.

"He's going to have to make a case as to why year 31 and 32 is justified in this climate," Jeffries said.