Ackerman Had to Safeguard Pride, Friends Say On Thursday afternoon, Representative Gary L. Ackerman was visited at his home by Rory I. Lancman, a state lawmaker and political rival. Mr. Lancman, who was mulling a run against Mr. Ackerman, dropped by to say that he had had a change of heart and would not run after all. It was an obvious victory for Mr. Ackerman, who has represented Queens and Long Island for 15 terms. But rather than celebrate, Mr. Ackerman, 69, did something surprising. Later that day, he announced that he would not seek re-election. The events of that day, in many ways, offer an insight into both Mr. Ackerman, a Democrat, and his unexpected decision to retire after indicating to colleagues that he had every intention of staying in Congress. Democrats close to Mr. Ackerman described him as a proud and sometimes stubborn man who did not want to be seen as having been pushed into retirement because of the threat of a challenge by the brash and ambitious Mr. Lancman, also a Democrat. But once Mr. Lancman, over a cup of coffee at Mr. Ackerman's house in Roslyn Heights, N.Y., agreed not to mount a primary challenge, these Democrats say, Mr. Ackerman felt free to retire and eager to move into a new phase of life at the end of his term, on Jan. 2. Indeed, Mr. Ackerman announced his plans at around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, just a couple of hours after Mr. Lancman's visit. "Gary is a proud guy," a senior Democrat close to Mr. Ackerman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said on Friday. He wanted to leave on his own terms. He did not want to appear to have been chased out of office by Roy Lancman. Mr. Lancman himself seemed to agree with that assessment. "I think once Gary's ego and pride were removed from the equation, he was able to evaluate what was in the best interests of him and his family for how he wanted to spend the rest of his life," he said. And I completely respect that. Jordan Goldes, a spokesman for Mr. Ackerman, said the representative had no comment. The retirement of Mr. Ackerman, a major figure in New York politics for decades, is likely to provoke a major battle for his seat, mostly among Democrats. Because the district is heavily Democratic, the Democratic primary contest in June may well decide who ends up being elected to the Congressional seat. Indeed, no sooner did Mr. Ackerman announce his retirement than Mr. Lancman, a state assemblyman who has amassed about $120,000 for a Congressional bid, declared his candidacy. A major player in determining Mr. Ackerman's successor will be Representative Joseph Crowley, the Democratic Party chairman in Queens who helps designate the party nominee. At the moment, Mr. Crowley does not seem inclined to support Mr. Lancman, according to Democrats. Instead, he is believed to be looking most seriously at City Councilman Mark S. Weprin and Assemblywoman Grace Meng. Mr. Weprin, who has told Democrats that he is intrigued by the job, is a former assemblyman who is viewed as a better politician than his brother, Assemblyman David I. Weprin, who lost a special election last year to fill Representative Anthony D. Weiner's seat. Ms. Meng, who released a statement on Thursday suggesting that she was weighing a bid, is also said to be high on Mr. Crowley's wish list. A lawyer, she is viewed as a bright and youthful official and a prodigious fund-raiser as well. She would become the first Asian-American member of Congress from New York. And in a district that is about 40 percent Asian, she could be viewed as a powerful symbol. But party leaders say that they are worried about a primary challenge from Mr. Lancman. "They fear that if Graces gets it, Rory will run a primary against her," said one Democrat who is close to Mr. Crowley. Another person who has apparently contacted Democratic district leaders to gauge support is City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, Mr. Crowley's cousin. But people close to Mr. Crowley say that he is reluctant to select relatives.