Iwen Chu files to run for office again

Former state Sen. Iwen Chu is looking to get back into the game in Albany. 

The former southern Brooklyn lawmaker filed Monday to run for state office once again, state campaign finance records show. Chu also created a corresponding candidate committee called “Iwen for New York.” It is not immediately clear whether Chu plans to run for her old state Senate seat or for another state office; the paperwork she filed with the state Campaign Finance Board lists the office she’s running for as “undeclared.”

“At this stage, the committee is exploratory in nature,” Chu told City & State in a text message. “I am keeping the door open and assessing where I can best contribute. If there is a strong need from the community and I believe I can serve effectively, I’ll be considering how to move forward. For now, I am considering a range of opportunities where I can make a meaningful impact.” She declined to elaborate when asked for specifics on what those opportunities might be.  

Chu, a Democrat, lost reelection in her south Brooklyn seat in November to now-state Sen. Steve Chan, a Republican. The first Asian American woman to be elected to the state Senate, Chu’s loss in the newly drawn state Senate district also sealed the loss of Democrats’ supermajority in the state Legislature’s upper chamber. 

Chu previously told City & State in an exit interview that she was unsure whether she would run for office again, but she did not rule anything out, either. She has stayed somewhat active in New York’s political realm since her departure from Albany, though. She recently endorsed fellow southern Brooklyn elected City Council Member Justin Brannan in his bid for New York City comptroller, and City & State reported she’s been approached about participating in The New York Times’ expert panel ahead of the Democratic mayoral primary.