A Republican Will Run in Vallone Country

Welcome Republican operative Robert Hornak officially to the 2009 race for City Council.

Hornak, who has been raising money to run for the Astoria seat that Peter Vallone Jr. will be term-limited out of, is having a kick-off event on February 2 featuring: Niger Innis, Herb London, Queens G.O.P. leader Phil Ragusa, and the unmistakable Curtis Sliwa.

Astoria has been electing the Vallone family—generally conservative (like on the graffiti issue!) Democrats—for generations, which has exposed Peter Jr. to some criticism from the left.

But in 2009, there won't be a Vallone on the ballot in Astoria, since Peter’s brother Paul is running for a City Council seat in Bayside.

Hornak has been diligently toiling away in Republican circles for years and currently works for Republican Assemblyman and Minority Leader leader Jim Tedisco.

The question this race won’t be whether Hornak is Republican enough, but if a district that has elected right-leaning Democrats will vote for a someone with similar views, who happens to be in the other party.

Here’s Hornak’s announcement, which he emailed to supporters this morning: