State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a hard-line progressive Democrat representing a large swath of the Bronx, has formed a campaign committee for the 15th Congressional District seat, an indication that he will run for office.

Federal filing show Rivera, who represents the 33rd Senate District since 2009, opened a campaign committee dubbed “Gustavo for the Bronx” on May 24. Rivera is now the sixth candidate who has declared or expressed interest in the seat long held by Congressman Jose Serrano, who announced in March he will not be seeking a 16th term.

“I am considering running for that seat, and I’m putting the pieces together in case I do indeed decide to go ahead and do it,” Rivera told the Norwood News. “I’m looking at it deeply, and it’s not every day that after three decades of service somebody steps down and an open seat is created. I care deeply about the Bronx, and consider this a potential opportunity to serve in another capacity.”

For now, Rivera notes the most important aspect of his political life at the moment is passing rent reform.

And @NYSenatorRivera appears to have entered the fray for @RepJoseSerrano’s soon-to-be-vacant #NY15 seat. pic.twitter.com/vpmRK6yOGP

— Will Bredderman (@WillBredderman) June 4, 2019

Rivera’s interest intensifies what will be one of the more closely-watched races over the year. The fervor is also sparked by the fact the district hasn’t had a truly robust primary in decades, or one that’s likely going to be costly. The district covers the entire portion of the South Bronx, extending to Fordham University. Rivera’s 33rd Senate District, which once covered Norwood, roughly covers a third of the 15th Congressional District.

“The issues that impact this district (33rd Senate District) are the same issues that impact the Bronx as a whole,” said Rivera, who seeks to ensure affordable housing in the face of gentrification is kept intact.

This gives Rivera less of an advantage in the way of name recognition compared to other already declared candidates, namely Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr, the social conservative Democrat who declared for the seat in April. Assemblyman Michael Blake, whose 79th Assembly District overlaps with the 15th Congressional District, also declared. Political newcomers Jonathan Ortiz and Tomas Ramos have also declared. Among the holdouts is Councilman Ritchie Torres, who also opened a committee, but has yet to announce his candidacy.

But his interest in the race is politically puzzling, particularly for a legislator who’s been waiting years for the Democrats to retake control of both the Assembly and Senate, allowing it to pass a very heavy Democratic agenda. Should Rivera indeed run he will not be allowed to run for his Senate seat given how the federal and state primaries run concurrently, barring him to run for two positions simultaneously.

“If I was in the minority I would have declared already. I am not, and that is part of the consideration,” said Rivera. “And my question first and foremost is, ‘How can I best serve the communities I care deeply about?’ And that is part of the consideration and the fact that I’m currently in the majority, as the chair of the Health Committee, not an insignificant committee that can actually do much for the people of the Bronx and the entire state.”

With more Hispanic legislators entering the race, this could present problems for the candidates as each attempt to covet the Hispanic vote that could split among the candidates, neutralizing their chances of winning.

Rivera, will have a tough time clenching any type of support from the Bronx Democratic Party, which has done little throughout his consecutive victories in securing his senate seat save for his first election when he unseated scandal-scarred legislator, Pedro Espada. Rivera has been in politics for well over a decade, managing campaign activities for 1199 SEIU during the 2008 election when the union was stumping for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Rivera emerged as the party favorite in his Democratic primary bout against Espada, who was contending with a lawsuit filed by then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Rivera defeated Espada in September 2010, and has represented the district since, defending his seat several times against current Councilman Fernando Cabrera.

His progressive views has made him one of the staunchest critics against President Donald Trump. His views have also attracted him to other lawmakers such as his colleague, state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, and Bronx Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, going so far as attending her victory party last year. It’s likely, should Rivera formally declare, that he will seek Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement, a similar move being conceived by Torres, himself a progressive legislator. Securing that endorsement will be even more sought after should Tiffany Caban, a candidate for Queens District Attorney whom Ocasio-Cortez endorsed, wins her race during the Democratic primary on June 14.

Even if Rivera doesn’t enter the race, Rivera emphasized he will “absolutely be involved in this race” since the borough deserves the “right person to represent the people of the South Bronx.”

The congressional primary is schedule for June next year.