In a move that will come as a shock to no one, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn officially announced she’s running for mayor this morning via a video released online.
“I’m running for mayor ’cause I love this city,” Ms. Quinn says in the clip. Read More
Bombastic billionaire business man John Catsimatidis officially announced his candidacy for mayor as a Republican on the steps of City Hall today in a freewheeling press conference that touched on his philosophies on life, business and his positions on many of the major issues of the day. Though Mr. Catsimatidis deviated substantially from the prepared remarks distributed by his staff prior to the event, he did focus on his background as a native New Yorker and his experience as a businessman.
“It’s not that I’m only a business person, I came from 135th Street. I never forgot where I come from. I’m not a Mike Bloomberg billionaire, I’m not wearing a $5,000 suit. I think my wife paid $100 for this,” said Mr. Castimatidis, grabbing the lapel of the wrinkled black suit that covered his ample frame. Read More
Billionaire grocery and oil magnate John Catsimatidis is set to formally announce his candidacy for mayor as a Republican in a few minutes on the steps of City Hall. Politicker has obtained a copy of the prepared version of the remarks Mr. Catsimatidis plans to deliver. His speech bills him as a native New Yorker who will use his wealth to be an “independent” leader for residents in all parts of the five boroughs.
“In 1949 my parents emigrated from Greece in search of a better life. … Like so many immigrants before and since, they came to our city with little money in their pocket and only a few words of English in their vocabulary. But, they came with a great deal of hope and a desire to work hard so I could have the opportunities they had been denied,” Mr. Catsimatidis’ speech says. “We settled in Harlem and my father found work as a bus-boy while my mother stayed home to care for me. We were poor and times were hard. … Now, 64 years later, I stand before you to formally announce my candidacy for mayor. I enter this race as a true son of New York; I gre up in its neighborhoods, I was educated in its public schools and I started off as a small businessman selling groceries to its people.” Read More
Bill de Blasio’s mayoral campaign launch was, quite literally, a family affair. He made the long expected announcement in the front years of his home accompanied by his wife and son, a fitting setting as he cast himself as a local parent who would wage a populist, progressive battle against the inequitable, out-of-touch policies of both Mayor Bloomberg and his rivals within the Democratic party.
“Government must focus on the needs of families, must be the protector of neighborhoods and must guard the people from the enormous power of moneyed interests. Now my friends, it can be done, but not by elected leaders alone,” Mr. de Blasio said in front of a cheering crowd who filled the sidewalks and street in front of his home. “It requires average New Yorkers who simply refuse to allow their community’s voices to be stifled. It’s their spirit that I intend to sweep into City Hall. A spirit that shouts that all boroughs were created equal and that all our residents matter! And that’s why today, here on my block in Brooklyn, I proudly declare my candidacy for mayor of New York City!” Read More
So far, though all of the main Democrats expected to run in this year’s mayoral race have been participating in multiple forums for candidates, none of them except for Bill Thompson have actually officially declared their intention to run. However, mayoral campaign season is clearly about kick off in earnest. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, one of the all-but-officially declared mayoral hopefuls, sent an email to supporters this morning teasing “a very important announcement about 2013″ he will make on Sunday. Sources tell Politicker Mr. de Blasio will be officially launching his mayoral campaign at the event. Read More
Jimmy McMillan, the perennial candidate and activist who gained fame after his memorable appearance in the 2010 New York gubernatorial debates where he stole the show with his simple argument that the “rent is too damn high” is throwing his hat into next year’s mayoral election. Mr. McMillan announced his candidacy last night at a small concert in a bar on the Lower East Side.
“I am entering the race for mayor. I’m very upset at all the candidates running. No one has said anything about the people and they’re all thinking that what I did in 2010 in the gubernatorial debate was just a big bunch of talk. They’re all business as usual, rent going up and nobody tackling that matter,” Mr. McMillan told Politicker. “There’s some serious problems. Rent can be reduced, rent will be reduced and I’m bringing what I couldn’t bring and didn’t get an opportunity to bring to the State, I’m bringing to the city … knowing that I can do it here and it can have the domino effect throughout every city, town and county in America and all across the other parts of the world.” Read More
