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The next mayoral election may be far away, but one candidate seems to staking out a key bloc.

"One of the things that charter schools are about in its foundation is accountability," said former mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.

In the last mayoral election, Thompson -- the then-Democratic nominee -- essentially ceded the charter school vote to Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It would appear he is saying not this time on an already-announced new try at City Hall.

"They have tremendous support from minority parents and minority students, but they also have strong support in the opinion making elite amongst moderate and conservative business leaders," said Political Consultant Bruce Gyory.

Thompson, the former city comptroller, is also the former president of the now-defunct Board of Education.

"I don't know that I've ever been looked at as a huge charter school supporter, even though I have been supportive of charter schools. But supportive of education and education for our children as a whole," said Thompson.

Charter schools are public schools, but free from a central curriculum. Teachers aren't necessarily unionized, making the schools a political hot potato, especially in a Democratic primary. The teachers union stayed out of the last mayor's race and declined to comment on Thompson's speech Tuesday.

Still, charter schools aren't as radioactive as they once were. One of Thompson's potential challengers, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, also expressed support for them.

"Look, I think charter schools have an important role to play in the educational lineup of this city," De Blasio said.

"Certainly any successful candidate in the primary is going to realize that they have to move beyond stale differences over status and over unionization and and talk about what's working for kids," said James Merriman of the New York City Charter School Center.

City educators who spoke with NY1 say they too are watching.

"It was significant that the acknowledgement was that charter schools are an important instrument to make sure that all students are successful and his appearance made it apparent to us that that was something that is important," said Dawn Cejas of the Sisulu-Walker Charter School of Harlem.

While the issue of charter schools is debated, Thompson and others may yet declare their support isn't without limits, especially as the campaign draws closer.