After his wrongful conviction as one of the Central Park Five was overturned, Mr. Salaam found it hard to rebuild his life. Now he stands to take office next year.
Mr. Salaam was one of the Central Park Five who were wrongly convicted and then exonerated in the rape and assault of a jogger in Central Park in 1989.
Yusef Salaam, exonerated as part of the Central Park 5 in 2002, appeared to be heading toward a City Council victory as voters embraced more moderate candidates.