Ex-Rep. Carolyn Maloney keeping ‘options open’ following Nadler’s retirement announcement, says she’s being urged to run for old House seat

Former Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) revealed Wednesday that she’s being urged to run for her old House seat and keeping her “options open” following Rep. Jerry Nadler’s (D-NY) decision to not seek re-election next year. 

Maloney, a moderate Democrat, lost her 12th District seat to Nadler in a bruising 2022 Democratic primary, after congressional maps were redrawn to smash both longtime incumbents into the same district. 

“I think right now, I’m going to keep my options open and my eyes open,” Maloney told “Cats & Cosby Show” hosts John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby on WABC 770. 

“We have an election on Nov. 5 … a very important one for mayor, city council, comptroller … we’ve got to get through that, but I will tell you, people have been calling me, from Washington, electeds and constituents, and others, urging me to run,” she added. 

Nadler, 78, cited the need for a “generational change” and “watching the Biden thing” earlier this week in announcing his decision to end his 34-year-long run representing Manhattan in Congress.

There is expected to be massive interest in Nadler’s seat.

Potential candidates include Empire State Assemblyman Micah Lasher; New York City Councilman Erik Bottcher; and former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, a Democratic Party insider told The Post. 

Nadler reportedly intends to back Lasher – his former aide – in 2026, according to the New York Times. 

Maloney, 79, is a year older than the retiring rep, but argued that New Yorkers “need someone who can pick up where Jerry left off.” 

“We don’t need someone who needs an intro to Congress 101,” she said.