City Councilman Mark Weprin – and Queens candidate for Council Speaker – now says he is backing rival Dan Garodnick in the highly competitive race, The Daily News’ Jennifer Fermino reports.

Weprin stopped short of saying that he was dropping out of the race entirely, but said he would fall in line with the wishes of the Queens County party and support Garodnick, a Manhattan Democrat who reps the East Side.

“I am with Queens and Queens is supporting Garodnick,” Weprin said in a text message.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)