Here’s the new math, uptown style: Two Harlem preachers + one Latino lawmaker + plus one tainted incumbent divided by a racially diverse congressional district = political mayhem in 2014.
Two rival preachers – one a foe of the Rev. Al Sharpton, the other his protege – are maneuvering behind the scenes to draw first blood in a challenge to longtime, and scandal-scarred, Rep. Charlie Rangel, even as the state senator who almost beat the incumbent last year is gearing up for a rematch.
In this corner: The Rev. Calvin Butts of Abyssinian Baptist Church — a longtime rival of Sharpton. Butts has already convened a closed-door meeting of community leaders and is having a power breakfast with fellow men and women of the cloth on Monday at Sylvia’s to ask their blessings for a run against Rangel.
In the opposite corner: Pastor Michael Walrond of First Corinthian Baptist Church, who runs the clergy division for Sharpton’s National Action Network. Walrond is also revving up his engine for a run at Rangel’s Harlem/Bronx seat.
Butts has the edge with the cloth-wearers, insiders say.
“A lot of pastors are behind Butts,” said Johnnie Green, the pastor at Mount Neboh Baptist Church on W. 114th St.
Green said he’d be at the breakfast confab on Monday – though he said he would not back Butts if the 83-year-old Rangel runs for re-election, despite being found guilty of multiple ethics violations in 2010.
“Mr. Rangel is our congressman, and if he decides to run, all other candidates should yield,” Green said.
The Democrat — who won the 2012 race against state Sen. Adriano Espaillat (D-Washington Heights) by a mere two percentage points — has not announced whether he’ll be on the ballot on Primary Day on June 24 but flirted with the idea of retiring Monday night.
“I am entitled to a little breather,” Rangel told The News, adding he’s already talked to Butts about the seat.
“He would consider running if I decide if I was not,” Rangel said. “I’ve discussed with him in a very open and candid way all of the decisions I have to make before I can make that decision.”
Butts has been something of a “Hamlet of Harlem,” often whispering of a run for office but never doing it. But Walrond’s camp said he’ll make his decision without regard for what Rangel decides.
“The congressman’s decision (to run) has no bearing on his decision whether to run or not,” said a source close to Walrond. “Whether or not Rangel runs is not an issue.”
Meanwhile, Espaillat is said to be pleased to have more African-Americans in the race to possibly split the vote.
After all, Congressional District 13, which comprises East Harlem, Harlem, Inwood and parts of the South Bronx, is hardly the black power base it has been for generations. The district is now only 26% African-American while Latinos are in the majority with 55% of the population.
Espaillat is the only known Latino candidate in the race.
simonew@nydailynews.com
