Adam Giambrone says he’ll finish out his elected term, but after it finishes Nov. 30, the 33-year-old city councillor and one-time mayoralty candidate says he’s taking a break from political life and leaving the representation of Ward 18 to others.

The councillor, who also chairs the Toronto Transit Commission, has been deflecting rumours he won’t return to city hall for another term since his mayoralty campaign self-destructed just more than a week after it had begun.

Giambrone was stung by revelations he’d had a lengthy affair with a 19-year-old woman – an affair that included sexual encounters in his city hall office – and that he’d told her via text messaging that he was presenting his partner Sarah McQuarrie as a political prop in the mayoralty race.

Both the revelations and his early attempts to deny the allegations caused him to dramatically end his campaign in a city hall news conference in which his final statement was read by his assistant, Kevin Beaulieu.

Now Beaulieu is preparing a run in Giambrone’s ward and Giambrone said he’s getting ready for a new phase of his life, ending a seven-year stint as one of the most prominent members of Mayor David Miller’s progressive team.

“I see myself reentering public life at some point over the next 35 years. I’m not jaded. I’m not cynical about it,” said Giambrone, who told followers on Twitter he intends to serve out his term.

“There’s a lot of people in this building I disagree with, but I remain incredibly optimistic about the city, excited, and engaged about it and I expect one day I will want to come back. It might be 10 years from now.”

Giambrone maintained his decision not to run was not a recent one.

“For me, today is not a big decision day. I made a decision in October not to run for council so today is consistent with that decision,” he said. “I reconfirmed that decision a month or so ago so it was really a matter of communications.”

While the last months have been tumultuous, Giambrone said he is happy with the accomplishments of his seven years on council.

“I spent seven years doing a lot. We got planning issues resolved – the Dufferin jog dealt with,” he said. “I’m pretty happy about what’s been happening in Ward 18, but there’s also a time to bring new blood in. Seven years was enough to do what I needed to do in Ward 18.”

Giambrone brushed aside suggestions the scandal that brought down his mayoralty bid was also a factor in his decision not to run.

“I’ve got to make decisions and I made the decision not to seek reelection as a councillor,” he said. “When you go through personal challenges you learn about things you do on the job. Obviously some things have different elements. You learn through the TTC policy challenges and through personal challenges. One would hope that the personal opportunities to learn aren’t always as public as this, but you have to take what you can.”

He said politically his troubles really did nothing but galvanize his base.

For most Torontonians, he said, they were probably a blip on the media radar screen.

“I think for most people who have busy lives, this has already faded,” he said. “While it’s very important for myself and the people around me, many people have busy lives…People should have more important things to do than worry about my personal life. At least I hope that’s the case and believe it to be the case.”

– David Nickle

Posted in News, Wards