The newest and most controversial candidate in the mayoral race, Anthony Weiner, said he knows he’s got a lot to prove but believes New Yorkers will be looking forward when choosing the next mayor.

“We’re making a big mistake if we think that voters are looking to the past,” Weiner said in a sitdown Friday with the Queens Chronicle editorial staff, the first of his candidacy. “When they go to flip that switch, it is a fundamental, forward-looking, aspirational thing.”

“This is a totally obvious statement, but being the mayor of the City of New York is a tough job, and people need to make sure they have somebody who’s tough enough to lead, but smart enough to listen and to lead in a collaborative way.”

That’s how City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) responded to the first question asked of her during an interview last Thursday with the Queens Chronicle editorial board: the old standard, “What makes you the best candidate?”

The race for mayor of New York City took a long-expected turn last night when Anthony Weiner, the former city councilman and congressman from Forest Hills, entered the contest with an announcement posted on YouTube.

Weiner, who quit the House two years ago after sending lewd photos of himself to young women across the country via social media and then lying to the public about doing so for two weeks, said he had made big mistakes in his life but is looking for a second chance.

Former Rep. Anthony Weiner, the Forest Hills Democrat, may or may not have launched a campaign for mayor this week when he released a plan called “Keys to the City: 64 Ideas to Keep New York the Capital of the Middle Class” — and started a new Twitter account.

Weiner was forced from office a little less than two years ago when it was revealed that he had been sending lewd photos of himself to young women around the country, many via Twitter, and then lied about it for weeks. Until the scandal hit, he was a darling of the Democratic Party for his take-no-prisoners approach to political discourse, advocacy for the needs of his Central and Southwestern Queens district and staunch support of Israel, among other things. He was, for example, a foremost cheerleader of President Obama’s healthcare bill, without which, Weiner said, the economy couldn’t recover from the recession.

Four of the Democratic hopefuls for mayor gathered at Queens College on Tuesday to talk about education, public safety and other issues.

Former Councilman Sal Albanese, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Comptroller John Liu and 2009 Democratic nominee Bill Thompson attended the event, which was co-moderated by journalist Errol Louis and Michael Krasner, a political science professor at the school.

Anthony Weiner, the former U.S. representative who resigned over a 2011 sexting scandal, may be running for mayor this year.

In a New York Times Magazine article that was posted online Wednesday and is set to be published on Sunday, the Democrat and his wife speak on life after the scandal and a possible mayoral run.

Officially the chairman of the Queens Republican Party is Phil Ragusa. But if what U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara says is true, that may come as a surprise to the borough party’s Deputy Chairman Vince Tabone, who was one of six people indicted in the scheme centered on state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Hollis) and Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone).

Few people if any expected former Congressman Anthony Weiner to retire to the role of Mr. Mom.

And reports of a new telephone poll asking people’s opinions about Weiner in connection with a possible citywide race have fueled speculation that the one-time mayoral favorite is testing the waters of public opinion.

Few people if any expected former Congressman Anthony Weiner to retire to the role of Mr. Mom.

And reports of a new telephone poll asking people’s opinions about Weiner in connection with a possible citywide race have fueled speculation that the one-time mayoral favorite is testing the waters of public opinion.

In the 2013 race for Borough Hall, it’s City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) by a mile so far — when it comes to fundraising.

In the first campaign finance reports filed for this year’s city elections, Vallone reported having raised $1,050,646. The former prosecutor and son of former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. has spent about 20 percent of that total, or $201,692, according to Campaign Finance Board records posted online.

It’s been three and a half years since Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) won a special election to replace Joe Addabbo Jr. after the latter’s ascension to the state Senate. Now, the 27-year-old Ozone Park native is running against his predecessor for the seat in Albany.

The district — which includes Glendale, Howard Beach, Maspeth, Middle Village and Ozone Park — was in Republican hands for decades before Addabbo won it in 2008. It was redrawn to include conservative-leaning neighborhoods like Kew Gardens Hills, home to a large bloc of Orthodox Jews, and Breezy Point. The new lines make the district more competitive, and that attracted Ulrich, who had been lobbied to run for the seat in 2010 and also for the seat vacated by former Rep. Anthony Weiner in 2011, which was won by Rep. Bob Turner (R-Middle Village).

Dear Editor:

Can we stop already with the “Civic Virtue” bashing and hysteria? Did someone just wake up after 100 years and decide this would be a good pot stirrer and waste of time effort and taxpayer money to remove it? Or was it the tens of thousands of ladies who pass the statue daily and are aghast and appalled by it? (not!) Did you do all your due diligence before the uproar?

We need a quick history lesson. The statue was designed by Frederick MacMonnies and sculpted by the Piccirilli Brothers (of the Bronx, by the way). It came to Queens in 1941 as a gift from then-Mayor LaGuardia to the borough when the “new” Borough Hall was opened.

Of course the common misconception and the rally cry is that the male figure is stepping or trampling on two women. But degrading women is not what it represents. The female figures are not even human women! It is symbolism and mythology in the purest of art form as in classical art and sculpture (c

’mon ladies, get your “Da Vinci Code” hats on!). Symbolism is not so cut and dry! The figures are akin to the sirens of Greek mythology — dangerous and devious creatures, portrayed as femme fatales who lured sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck. Since vice and corruption are “dangerous and devious” ... get it? They were also portrayed (like here) as one half woman half serpent.

Hey gals, remember back in February you got a real boost when Rep. Anthony Weiner wanted to sell the statue on Craig’s List, because it was “sexist”? ’Nuff said!

Art is open to interpretation. Leave it alone already.

Anthony Weiner was once considered to be a rising star in New York City politics.

Weiner represented southern and central Queens for over a decade in Congress, winning reelection often unopposed. He was both celebrated and derided for his blunt, vociferous defense of progressive policy and admonishment of conservatives.

Anthony Weiner was once considered to be a rising star in New York City politics.

Assemblywoman Grace Meng of Flushing handily defeated three Democratic opponents Tuesday in the 6th Congressional District primary.

The unofficial count was 51 percent for Meng, 28 percent for Assemblyman Rory Lancman of Fresh Meadows, 16 percent for City Councilwoman Liz Crowley of Middle Village and 5 percent for Dr. Robert Mittman of Bayside.