STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The Staten Island Libertarian Party is looking to field a candidate in this year's House race.

The party will gather petition signatures in a bid to get West Brighton Republican Richard Bell, a member of the Richmond County Tea Party Patriots, on the ballot.

Bell, 67, a small business owner, said he was looking to get into the race because he is concerned about the economy, particularly the national debt.

"It's affecting everything we do in our daily economy," he said, "the price of food, the price of energy. We need to start addressing the debt."

New York state has been hit particularly hard, Bell said.

"Everywhere you go, there are for-rent signs on stores," he said. "New York is like a depression."

Bell said he saw a different picture during a recent trip to Toronto.

"Toronto is like a boom town," he said.

Bell had little to say about the two major party candidates in the race, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) and Democrat Domenic M. Recchia.

"Those two parties haven't been able to do anything about the shape we're in," he said. "The parties make a lot of promises."

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Libertarian Party looking to field a candidate in this year's congressional race