And then there were four.
Council hopeful Michael Treybich has dropped out of the race to replace Michael Nelson as councilman in Sheepshead Bay, giving the remaining four candidates some breathing room in what remains one of the most crowded council matches in Kings County.
Treybich announced the move on Tuesday with one of his opponents, Ari Kagan, by his side.
“It is with great regret that I am bowing out of the race for the 48th Councilmatic District and will not run this year for any position,” Treybich later wrote on his website. “Thank you to all of my supporters who have done so much to get my campaign where it is today. You are appreciated.”
But apparently, he didn’t have that many supporters to appreciate.
Treybich decided to drop out of the race after realizing couldn’t win the democratic primary, according Kagan, who Treybich is now backing
“He realized it wasn’t his time and it wasn’t his race,” said Kagan.
The move leaves Igor Oberman, Chaim Deutsch, Kagan, and Theresa Scavo seeking the democratic line.
Treybich, a layer who lives in Trump Village on Ocean Parkway, cut his political teeth working on Councilman Dominic Reechia’s (D–Coney Island) re-election campaign. He later worked as community liaison and community relations director for former Assemblywoman Adele Cohen (D–Coney Island).
Scavo, who is the chairwoman of Community Board 15, thinks Treybich’s dropping out has less to do with his appreciation of Kagan’s candidacy, and more to do with his inexperience and the fact that he was a little fish in a big pond.
“I have never spoken to him. I’ve never heard of him being active in the community, and I’ve never heard of the guy at all until he came out as a candidate,” she said. “I feel that once he saw Igor (Oberman), Chaim (Deutsch), Ari, and myself, he saw he was paddling up creek, and that there was too much competition this time round.”
Kagan said he didn’t solicit Treybich’s endorsement, or pressure him to drop out of the race claiming he was pleasantly surprised when the former candidate called him last week and broke the news.
“Honestly, I didn’t lobby him or push him at all,” Kagan said. “Still, I was very happy when he called me and said, ‘I’ve decided to drop out and I want to endorse you.’ ”
Messages left for Treybich were not returned.
Whoever wins the primary will likely face off against former Republican state Sen. David Storobin.
Reach reporter Colin Mixson at cmixson@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4514.
