When state Sen. Jim Dabakis announced in February that he would step down at the end of the year, colleagues expressed shock that the 2019 Legislature would be without perhaps its loudest, and certainly most provocative, progressive voice.
Here’s another Dabakis surprise: since the end of this year’s legislative session he has raised more campaign donations than any other lawmaker.
Speculation abounds that Dabakis — who briefly declared his candidacy for mayor in 2015 before jumping out — would run against first-term Mayor Jackie Biskupski. And there are signs that this could happen. For example, his supporters did a poll to test the incumbent’s vulnerability and Dabakis was listed as one of several hypothetical challengers.