Former Bronx borough president and federal housing official Adolfo Carrion, a former Democrat who is now unaffiliated, is running on the Independence Party line and seeking Republican backing.

WSJ: City Council speaker launches NYC mayoral bid

But, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia wants some commercial guarantees for backing the US line.

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But there is no bipartisan consensus on the issue, with others backing the NRA line that teachers in schools should be armed in order to better defend students if a shooting occurs.

BBC: Newtown shooting: Gun lobby defiant as US remembers