105TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT — Paul Tonko Thursday said he is considering entering the 21st Congressional District race, a prospect that has fellow Democrats buzzing.

Tonko retired last year after 24 years as the popular assemblyman from the 105th Assembly District to become head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

In a telephone interview Thursday, Tonko said he was “flattered by the many requests” he has received to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island.

Several Schenectady County Democratic Party officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for Tonko, said they are virtually certain Tonko will enter the race.

Tonko said he is not a candidate but is “considering a candidacy because I believe we need a new direction.” He said he would announce his intentions soon.

“My first obligation is to Gov. Eliot Spitzer, to the NYSERDA board and to the people of New York,” he said. “They deserve to have a strong advocate at NYSERDA.”

Tonko said he was returning to Albany from Washington, where he spent the day talking with officials about “NYSERDA business.”

Two political officials speculated Tonko would have to resign from NYSERDA to run for the congressional seat, as he would otherwise violate Spitzer’s conflict of interest guidelines.

Two Democrats have already announced their candidacies: Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman, and Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton. Darius Shahinfar, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Lester Freeman, an Albany Democratic activist, are considering candidacies. The only Republican stating interest in running so far is J. Christopher Callaghan, former Saratoga County treasurer and a 2006 state comptroller candidate.

Should Tonko enter the race, he would immediately become the front-runner, said Schenectady Mayor Brian U. Stratton. “I think Paul Tonko is the tier one candidate we need in this race. We expect him to get in,” he said. “He has told many people he is going to announce and announce soon.”

Stratton himself considered running for the congressional seat held by his father for 30 years before McNulty’s tenure, but he announced Feb. 11 he will remain mayor; he is in the first year of his second term.

Stratton said he spoke with Tonko and urged him to run. “Paul has always been a good friend and a great supporter. I told him I would like him to get in the race when I made my decision not to run,” he said.

Stratton called Tonko “a tremendous partner for us in Schenectady and the Capital Region and we need a candidate with a proven record to support us.”

Schenectady County Democratic Committee Chairman Brian Quail said “most Democratic leaders believe it is a matter of when, not if” Tonko announces.

The Schenectady County committee, as well as other committees and major Democratic Party officials, have held off endorsing a candidate for the congressional seat until they knew Tonko’s intentions, Quail said.

Tom Nardacci, spokesman for Steck, issued a statement from Steck about Tonko’s possible announcement: “We need a real change of direction in this country. I’ve been fighting for that change throughout my career and that’s why I am in this campaign to win. If we want to win, we have to earn it, and I intend to make sure that no one works harder than me to earn the support of the people of the 21st Congressional District.”

Nardacci said Steck has a strong political base in Albany and Rensselaer counties and won the endorsement of former Amsterdam Mayor John Duchessi. Steck also has some 40 other endorsements.

Brooks has endorsements from former Green Island Mayor Jack McNulty and current Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty Ryan. The former is Michael McNulty’s father and the latter is his sister. McNulty himself has not endorsed any candidate.

Brooks and Steck come from Albany County, which accounts for about half the district’s enrollment.

Democratic Party officials said Tonko has gone to Washington to speak with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee about running and that he has $100,000 remaining in his Assembly Campaign Committee account available for an expected Democratic primary this summer.

“He wants to do it, but he wants to get his ducks in a row,” a Democratic official said. Another party official said Tonko “can out-raise anyone” for a primary race. “He is the 800-pound gorilla and he would be the front-runner.”