At-Large Council President Maritza Davila will pursue citywide reelection next year in Paterson, but she plans to stay out of the mayor’s race – at least for now.

“I’m focusing on my own race,” Davila told InsiderNJ.

First elected in 2018, Davila prevailed the same year that Mayor Andre Sayegh defeated Alex Mendez.

Last night, Mendez answered the Brownstone prodding of allies by declaring that he will indeed seek the mayoralty again.

But this time, Davila won’t be backing him, or at least doesn’t plan to align herself with a candidate for mayor, as she goes after her own citywide votes.

The pair formed an alliance last time.

She also backed Mendez when he ultimately beat Third Ward Councilman Bill McKoy, and she has clashed with Mendez nemesis Mayor Andre Sayegh, especially during the COVID crisis.

But the council president insists that she wants to try to stay neutral this time, as colleagues current, past and maybe future reach out to her for political backing.

The council president showed up at Mendez’s event on Sunday night to show her support for the Third Ward Councilman’s Legal Defense Fund.

She said she wished him well, and continues to wish him well.

But backing the embattled Mendez doesn’t mean she necessarily wants him to be mayor, she said.

There are other candidates floating around ahead of next year’s mayor’s race.

The field isn’t yet set.

Former Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres – who did time on corruption charges – is supposedly consulting on the possibility of a comeback.

Mendez?

In.

First Ward Councilman Mike Jackson is also said to be in the hunt again.

And of course, Sayegh himself, is gearing up to pursue reelection.