While her legislative record is thin, Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis has made a lot of waves since entering the Capitol seven years ago. Zack Fink filed the following report.

After beating an Democratic incumbent in an upset in 2010, Republican Nicole Malliotakis has been serving Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn in Albany ever since. Now, she is looking to take on Mayor Bill de Blasio, if she can first win the Republican primary.

"I grew up with a strong sense of patriotism," she said. "My parents always voted and were always very excited about being citizens and being able to contribute to the process. Especially my mother, who fled a dictatorship where they don't have the ability to elect their leaders."

Showing us around her Albany office, Malliotakis pointed to her sketches of Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, displayed photographs with her old boss, former Governor George Pataki, and let us know what a big fan she is of the singer Cher, whose book was neatly displayed between those about Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln.

"There's no doubt that I'm unique," Malliotakis said. "I'm a woman. I'm half-Hispanic. I am Greek. We haven't had that combination in elected office in this city or state, for that matter, ever before."

One thing Malliotakis says she will be doing less of in Albany now that she is running for mayor is late-night karaoke.

"I sing La Bamba. That's my song. And once in a while, I'll participate in duet with Joe Lentol of Sonny and Cher. 'I Got You Babe,'" she said.

While Democratic colleagues stopped far short of endorsing her candidacy, many encouraged her to take on the mayor.

Malliotakis is expected to meet with former Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimitidis on Friday, where he is expected to endorse her.