Weiner woes clear field for mayor hopefuls

Fiorello LaGuardia, Ed Koch and . . . Alec Baldwin?

The "30 Rock" star is reportedly seeing Rep. Anthony Weiner's political implosion as an opening to flex his own political ambitions and become the next mayor of New York.

Indeed, the woes of Weiner (D-Forest Hills), just weeks ago seen as the likely front-runner in the race for mayor in 2013, has recast the political playing field, potentially clearing the way for well-known candidates and dark horses alike.

"It's a whole new ballgame," said Evan Stavisky, a Democratic political consultant. "Whenever you lose a top-tier candidate out of a race, those votes are now up for grabs."

The potential field, which at this point only has one declared candidate, includes:Bill de Blasio: The city's public advocate and second-highest-ranking elected official, de Blasio, a Democrat, has fought Mayor Michael Bloomberg on education policies and homelessness.

Bill Thompson: A former city comptroller, Thompson narrowly lost to Bloomberg in 2009. The Democrat, who has declared his intention to run again, emphasizes his strong financial skills and experience in city politics.

Christine Quinn: Quinn, the City Council speaker, is a powerful politician with a burgeoning war chest for a potential run. Bloomberg is rumored to support her candidacy, but she hasn't officially declared her intentions.

Scott Stringer: The Manhattan borough president has been long eyeing the top job in City Hall. The Democrat has said he'd focus on better development strategies and improved relations with Albany.

Alec Baldwin: The TV and movie star is a staunch liberal and has long flirted with New York politics. In January, the Democrat told former Gov. Eliot Spitzer he was "very interested" in running for higher office and his rep yesterday said he "wouldn't rule out" a 2013 run.

Ray Kelly: The city's popular police commissioner has repeatedly said he has no interest in the job, but the idea has intrigued many, including former Mayor Ed Koch, who has already thrown support behind him.

John Liu: Political circles have long speculated that the city comptroller, the first Asian-American elected to citywide office, may also set that milestone for the office of mayor.

Eliot Spitzer: Ever since he became a TV talking head, there's been talk that a run at New York City mayor might give the disgraced former governor a new political platform. The Democrat has been mum on his intentions.