Councilman Fernando Cabrera, the socially conservative Democrat, announced he won’t be running for the congressional seat currently held by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, five months after announcing he will run for the seat. He instead is running for borough president, a move he initially told the Norwood News he would not be doing.

Cabrera, who represents the 14th Council District covering Kingsbridge Heights, broke the news over the weekend, telling the New York Post he wants to clear the moderate Democrat lane so another moderate Democrat, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera (no relation), can run against the democratic socialist.

In a statement sent out to the press today, the Councilman said his candidacy “would likely split the moderate vote allowing Congresswoman Cortez to win.”

“The effort to unite the moderate majority will, I believe, allow the residents of the 14th Congressional to elected [sic] someone who will truly represent their interest and values,” wrote Cabrera in his statement, referring to the bifurcated 14th Congressional District that covers the Bronx and Queens.

As long been suspected, Cabrera is now running for borough president. His announcement comes on the heels of Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, considered the favorite to have won a 2021 race for borough president, announcing he will no longer seek public office and intends to leave public life in favor of the private sector. Cabrera told the Norwood News  in his announcement that he’ll run for Congress that he won’t be running for borough president.

“I look forward to continuing and expanding the Bronx’s forward progress as Borough President,” said Cabrera.

The news also comes as current Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced in January he will be retiring from public life when his term ends next year.

Other names floating around for a possible borough president run are Council Members Vanessa Gibson, Andrew Cohen, and even Andy King. A source told the Norwood News that Crespo intends to back Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr. for borough president.

For months, Cabrera has asserted himself more on the Ocasio-Cortez’s district, which included the drafting of a bill that would have created a harbor patrol unit around the Bronx. This came at the request of a civic group in City Island, which is covered by the 14th Congressional District.

Caruso-Cabrera, a former anchor for CNBC, is now urging other Democrats to unite behind one candidate to defeat AOC to “allow the voice of the moderate majority to be fully represented.”