Staten Island DA Dan Donovan makes Congressional run official

Staten Island prosecutor Dan Donovan officially became the first candidate to replace former Rep. Michael Grimm late Friday.

Donovan, who has served as Staten Island District Attorney since 2004, acknowledged he would seek endorsements from the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties in his congressional bid to represent the island and a stretch of south Brooklyn.

“In the week since my last announcement the enthusiasm for my candidacy has only broadened and intensified, with expressions of support also from beyond the two boroughs,” Donovan said in a statement.

Donovan was floated as a candidate for the seat as soon as rumors of Grimm’s departure swirled after the embattled congressman’s guilty plea for tax evasion.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo still needs to announce a date for a special election to replace Grimm. Candidates for the special election will be named by the political parties.

Donovan is not the only Republican vying for the GOP candidacy. On Friday, Capital New York reported that former Gov. George Pataki endorsed Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis for the seat.

There is no clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, although observers have suggested Assemblyman Michael Cusick and former Rep. Michael McMahon could step in to challenge whomever takes the GOP nod.

Donovan was the D.A. who failed to persuade a grand jury to indict NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the choking death of Eric Garner, which spawned weeks of protests by police reform and civil rights activists throughout the city.

On Monday, Donovan fought in court to kept grand jury proceedings in the Garner case sealed.

Local activists within the Congressional district told Metro they already plan to organize against Donovan’s candidacy.