Top GOP Choice for “Asian” Senate Seat Takes Pass [UPDATED]

A top choice for Queens Republicans to run in the newly created Asian-American Senate district in Flushing has decided not to run after briefly considering the position, according to sources familiar with his decision.

The potential candidate, Edward K. Suh, is a Korean-American assistant district attorney in the Queens County D.A.’s economic crimes division, where he has worked since 2006.

Suh has been part of major economic crime prosecutions in Queens over the past several years, including a $13 million identity theft ring bust known as “Operation Swiper” in October last year, where 111 individuals were arrested. At the time, Queens County D.A. Richard Brown called it “the largest identity theft takedown in U.S. history.”

Suh could not immediately be reached for comment.

Since Councilman Peter Koo’s defection from the Republican party, the hunt has been on among Queens County GOP members for a Republican willing to run in the new district. The GOP is holding a seminar this weekend, the “Special Asian Candidate Education Workshop,” to suss out possible candidates.

It’s unclear who will run for the seat on either side of the aisle. Democratic State Sen. Toby Stavisky, the incumbent, was moved into the same district as fellow Democrat Tony Avella under the Republicans’ proposed lines — though Stavisky could always move into her old district. John Messer, a Democrat who is also white, is eying a run. And, assuming that the district actually is created, it’s likely that a Democratic Asian candidate will emerge, since the seat is now majority Asian-American.

[UPDATE] Reached by phone, Suh said ” I never seriously considered running,” but added he was “flattered” to be thought of as a good candidate.

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