Bill de Blasio and John Lue. (Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images)

There can only be one "most progressive and consistently progressive candidate" in the mayor's race, and two candidates--Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Comptroller John Liu--are in dispute over which one holds the honor.

"I think I present the most consistent progressive platform and I think it's what people in this city want and need right now," Mr. de Blasio said Monday morning during an interview on The Brian Lehrer Show when he was asked about his claim.

Mr. de Blasio quickly ran through his challengers.

On City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, he said, "I can say it plainly: Speaker Quinn wants to continue the vast majority of [Mayor Michael] Bloomberg's policies--in effect wants to continue the Bloomberg administration."

Mr. de Blasio further said 2009 Democratic nominee Bill Thompson is "not willing to tax the wealthy as I am, not willing to focus on living wage legislation and paid sick days, as I am, does not agree with an inspector general or a racial profiling bill for the police department."

Mr. Lehrer, however, took issue when Mr. de Blasio got to Mr. Liu, whom he noted has repeatedly positioned himself to the left of the field on issues ranging from education to the minimum wage. While Mr. de Blasio has proposed reforming stop-and-frisk, for instance, Mr. Liu wants it abolished; while the other candidates generally want more community input into charter school co-locations, Mr. Liu was the first to call for an outright moratorium. (Mr. de Blasio wants a moratorium  for the rest of Mr. Bloomberg's term.)

But Mr. de Blasio argued that he, unlike Mr. Liu, supports a plan to install an inspector general over the NYPD--something Mr. Liu has argued would be unnecessary once he abolished stop-and-frisk as mayor. He also said his plans are more practical.

"I would say there are areas like policing where my positions are more progressive than his. It’s easy to say 'abolish,'" he said, arguing that stop-and-frisk is a critical police tool, if used correctly. "I think what John has put forward  isn’t realistic in terms of how we actually police."

The comments prompted pushback from Mr. Liu's campaign, which said Mr. de Blasio was wrong.

"John has been the most progressive and consistently progressive candidate on the major issues facing our city and our future, from policing and housing to education and economic policy," a Liu spokesperson told Politicker when asked about Mr. de Blasio's remarks. "As Comptroller he has conducted thorough research and as mayoral candidate he has clearly laid out his vision for the future and specific plans for changes we clearly need in New York City."

Mr. Lehrer also questioned whether New Yorkers really want a progressive mayor, after repeatedly failing to elect Democrats from Ruth Messinger to Freddy Ferrer. But Mr. de Blasio argued that this year's race--the first since the consequences of the economic collapse became clear-- will be very different.

“It is not the same New York City that the vast majority of us want and believe in. We have to fight to get that back," he said, adding that New Yorkers are also tired after 12 years of the current mayor.

“I think there is a Bloomberg hangover here," he said. "I think the lack of debate, the lack of transparency, the elitism, has caused many people, particularity Democrats, to want much more profound change."

Steve Brodner

It was just after Hurricane Sandy struck the city when the president of the New York City teachers’ union started getting calls from the prospective mayoral candidates. His home had been destroyed by floodwaters, and an estimated 10,000 of his members lived in evacuation zones, many trapped without power or transportation.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn arrived with a handful of staffers on Saturday and spent three days by his side. “Chris Quinn, you know, she’s out in Staten Island with me, we’re up to our butts in mud, shoveling out houses,” the president, Michael Mulgrew recalled. “Just full of mud, the two of us.” One by one, the other candidates followed, helping to gut homes and hand out supplies.

It's the kind of treatment that flows freely to Mr. Mulgrew, arguably the most courted political player in the mayor’s race. His claim that the United Federation of Teachers' endorsement can swing the mayoral primary on Sept. 10 is questioned by some political observers — but apparently not the candidates, who compete aggressively for his affections.

This year’s mayoral race is one of the most chaotic in decades, with more than seven Democratic hopefuls fighting for slivers in a primary that is expected to turn out fewer than 600,000 voters. With the primary still wide open, Mr. Mulgrew believes that his union has the power to crown the new king or queen.

"We’re not about picking a mayor,” Mr. Mulgrew told Politicker last week at George’s, a diner near the union’s lower Manhattan headquarters. “We’re about making a mayor, making the winner. And that’s what we’re gonna to do.”

John Liu and UFT's Michael Mulgrew post-Sandy. (Photo: Facebook/UFT)

For the past four years, the UFT has been working to build up an army of volunteers, pollsters and operatives. By the union’s count, its endorsements will deliver more than 230,000 members, when retirees, family members and others who live in members’ homes are included. The union is also planning to spend in the mid to high seven figures on the race, according to a source familiar with the organization’s finances.

Four years ago, as Mr. Mulgrew tells it, Mayor Michael Bloomberg “declared war” on the teacher’s union when he made a speech in Washington, D.C., doubling down on an agenda that included using state test scores in teacher evaluations—something the union has long fought. “It’s pretty clear that this is the worst the relationship has ever been between the union and the city,” he said over an egg-white omelet with bacon and Swiss.

Since then, the mayor and Mr. Mulgrew have been locked in an acrimonious battle marked by personal insults, protests and legal battles. The standoff came to a head in January, when an impasse over a new teacher evaluation system cost the city more than $250 million in state education aid. Mr. Mulgrew accused Mr. Bloomberg of “lying,” Mr. Bloomberg said Mr. Mulgrew was trying to pull off a “sham,” and both were slammed by the governor as petty. A deal was finally imposed by the state this weekend, leaving both sides’ pride intact.

Now Mr. Mulgrew sees a chance to install a friend in City Hall, one he hopes will halt school closings, end the expansion of nonunion charter schools, negotiate a friendlier evaluation deal and—most importantly—deliver the $3.2 billion in back wages that Mr. Mulgrew claims his members are owed after working for the past four and a half years under an expired contract with no raises.

“Hearing from all of the candidates, they all get that things have to change dramatically,” Mr. Mulgrew said.

It wasn’t always this way between City Hall and the UFT, which was founded in 1960 as a voice for teachers who felt they weren't being treated fairly. Mr. Mulgrew’s predecessors, including the legendary labor leader Albert Shanker and his successors Sandra Feldman and Randi Weingarten, were all tough, commanding figures, but they nonetheless seemed to be able to work with City Hall. Relations got tricky with Mayor Rudy Giuliani, but “really unraveled with Mulgrew’s ascendancy,” observed Hunter College professor emeritus Kenneth Sherrill, who blamed the fallout partially on a clash of personalities. “Some of that’s born from personal animosity between the two. They just don’t get along with each other.”

Michael Mulgrew. (Photo: Amanda Cohen)

Mr. Mulgrew—a former carpenter with a thick Staten Island accent and a booming voice—had been Ms. Weingarten’s right-hand man before she stepped down after a year of juggling the post with her new role as president of the national American Federation of Teachers.

When Mr. Mulgrew, who was handpicked by Ms. Weingarten over more experienced leaders, took over the UFT in 2009, “I knew political infrastructure wasn’t where it should be,” he said. “When the mayor declared war on us, we went really hard.”

The union began to invest in community outreach, appointing captains in neighborhoods across the city, creating a database of members and their families, training members to go door-to-door and pushing for contributions from members’ paychecks.

The first test of the union army came in 2010. There’d been a long-standing saying that, in New York, it was more likely for a lawmaker to die or be indicted than get voted out of office—in part owing to union groups’ historical backing of incumbents. Mr. Mulgrew wanted to prove the saying wrong.

“So I said, ‘We’re gonna take somebody out,’” Mr. Mulgrew recalled with a mischievous smile.

The target: then-State Senator Frank Padavan, a popular Republican who’d held his Queens senate seat for 38 years, winning again and again with the UFT’s blessing. But this time, the union, angry over Mr. Padavan’s support for charter schools, backed challenger Tony Avella. The district’s 7,000 UFT members flooded neighborhoods with flyers and made thousands of calls.

“It was the UFT against everyone: all the unions, advocacy groups, everyone was on the other side,” Mr. Mulgrew said. Mr. Avella won—handily--shocking observers.

They’ve also tried to push back against a national movement to weaken teachers unions, sending teams to Ohio and Wisconsin to fight moves to limit collective bargaining. And during the presidential election, members flocked to Florida, where retirees armed with burner cell phones and call sheets gathered in homes and pizza parlors near public schools, placing thousands of calls to fellow teachers to get out the vote; others fanned out across the affluent I-4 corridor, making the case for President Obama re-election in the crucial swing state.

"The UFT’s political operation has greatly improved over the past couple of years,” said Marc Lapidus, a political consultant and senior partner at Red Horse Strategies, which has done political consulting for the UFT in recent years. “I think Mulgrew certainly put it into overdrive.”

The union’s mettle was on display during a series of recent forums where the Democratic candidates practically fell over one another trying to woo the rooms, a showing that Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson dubbed “PanderPalooza.”

“I talk to them constantly. All of them,” said Mr. Mulgrew of his relationships with the contenders, including Ms. Quinn, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, former Comptroller Bill Thompson and current Comptroller John Liu. “I know all about all of their families. I know about their dogs and this and that.”

He pointed to the outpouring of support after Hurricane Sandy.

“I called the politicians and they’re like, whatever you need,” he said, sharing the story of Ms. Quinn in the mud. “I did the same thing with John Liu. We’re shoveling mud and we’re also handing out supplies in Brooklyn. We were out with Quinn in Brooklyn. Bill de Blasio, we just kept unloading trucks out in the Rockaways."

Michael Mulgrew embraces Speaker Christine Quinn. (Photo: City Council/William Alatriste)

For Mr. Mulgrew, the wooing is part of the fun. “Do they want the endorsement? Sure they do,” he said. “Our approval rating’s much higher than the mayor’s.” Indeed, recent independent polls show that when asked whom they trust to advocate for students, more New Yorkers side with the union than with the mayor.

At six feet tall and 230 pounds, Mr. Mulgrew, a tough-talking Staten Islander with the swagger of a teenage instigator, has little in common with the billionaire mayor. He was raised by a single mother juggling three jobs and four kids. He says he got into trouble frequently. “I wasn’t the easiest teenager, to say the least,” he recalled.

He worked construction after graduating high school but took classes at nights and on weekends and began working in schools as a substitute teacher during the off-season. Because of his size, he was assigned to deal with emotionally disturbed children, in a basement classroom where his day could involve ducking thrown chairs.

He later taught computers and English literature, using filmmaking to engage with his students. He was hesitant to run for chapter leader, but he was arm-twisted into running for the job and quickly made his way up the union ranks, impressing higher-ups with his bluster and bravado.

But Mr. Mulgrew—described as a deeply loyal advocate by friends and a thuggish bully by detractors—has eschewed his predecessor’s hobnobbing. At home in storm-ravaged Oakwood Beach, where he lives with his girlfriend, he prefers sheetrocking and barbecuing to power lunching with the city’s elite.

“I like flip-flops and shorts in the summer, having a beer in the backyard with my friends,” he said, admitting to sometimes grocery shopping with a hoodie on to avoid being recognized. “Why change? You shouldn’t be too impressed with yourself. Keep it simple, man, keep it simple.”

The endorsement vote by the union’s large Delegate Assembly is scheduled for June 19, and Mr. Mulgrew—though tight-lipped—appeared genuinely unsure about the outcome. He rebuffed the suggestion that the union favors Mr. Thompson, a widespread assumption after Ms. Weingarten personally endorsed him last month.

“About two months ago, I heard I was endorsing Mr. de Blasio. That was out there all over the place. Then they all freaked out because I was endorsing Ms. Quinn. My phone just did not stop for a week and a half. And now I hear I’m doing Mr. Thompson,” he said wryly.

The decision, he said, will rest on the candidates’ policy positions—not just on education, but also on economic inequality and poverty—as well as on their standing in the polls. He wants a candidate with a clear path to victory--and a team capable of getting them there. He also needs someone his members will rally around—making Ms. Quinn, who has allied herself closely with Mr. Bloomberg, a potentially tough sell.

Michael Mulgrew. (Photo: Amanda Cohen)

To complicate matters, there is no clear labor candidate in the field. District Council 37, the city’s largest public employee union, recently endorsed Mr. Liu, while 1199 SEIU, the health care workers union, has endorsed Mr. de Blasio.

In the face of Mr. Mulgrew’s mobilization efforts, Bloomberg administration has gone on the attack, urging candidates to resist becoming pawns of the UFT. “The fate of our schools is hanging in the balance,” the normally mild-mannered Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott warned in a recent speech.

To advance his agenda after leaving office, Mr. Bloomberg’s allies, including Joel Klein, founded StudentsFirstNY, a group created as a counter-voice to the UFT.  The group’s executive director, Glen Weiner, said that the UFT would be “a formidable force” during the primary, but warned that it is “a scary proposition to think of them electing the next mayor.” He argued that rolling back Mr. Bloomberg’s policies would set back progress in outcomes such as graduation rates.

Like others, Mr. Weiner said that Mr. Mulgrew’s claims of influence are overblown.

The union has an uneven track record when it comes to mayoral endorsements. The last time a union-backed candidate won Gracie Mansion was back in 1989, when David Dinkins narrowly bested Mr. Giuliani in a contentious race. The group chose to sit out the 2009 race between Messrs. Thompson and Bloomberg and the 2005 race because of contract negotiations, and it was also silent in 1997 and 1993. In 2001, the UFT did endorse—three times—and managed to lose all three elections: the primary (Alan Hevesi), runoff (Fernando Ferrer) and general (Mark Green).

Kevin Finnegan, the political director of the also-powerful 1199, questioned the ability of any single union to crown a winner. “I don’t think there’s any single institution in the city that can get the mayor elected,” he said. “We just don’t have the numbers to get it done.”

“They’re overselling it,” said another source, who argued that sophisticated, generally well-educated UFT members are more likely to break with their leadership than members of other unions. He pointed to concessions the UFT has recently been forced to accept, including the new teacher evaluation deal.

“The teachers have had to accept things over the years that they would never have accepted before,” said the observer. “They’re not as mighty as they used to be.”

But Mr. Mulgrew insists otherwise.

“If we all get behind our candidate,” he recently told members, “that candidate will be the next mayor.”

John Liu. (Photo: Getty)

Comptroller John Liu's mayoral campaign will get the official endorsement from District Council 37, the public employees union with the largest membership in New York City, according to multiple sources familiar with the group's vote this evening.

Although Politicker's sources wished to remain anonymous in order to speak freely, a Twitter account claiming to belong to the president of Local 374/DC37 announced the news 30 minutes ago as well.

DC 37, while sizable, is not as coveted as some of the smaller unions known for flexing their organizing muscle in elections. Nevertheless, it's certainly a boost for Mr. Liu's campaign's case that their momentum is building despite two Liu associates being found guilty in a campaign finance fraud case earlier this month.

Accordingly, Mr. Liu reacted positively when Politicker inquired about the endorsement this evening.

"Yay!" he exclaimed. "I think that's great."

Additional reporting by Jill Colvin.

Anthony Weiner. (Photo: Getty)

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner, almost one week into his raucous mayoral campaign, is running a close second behind Council Speaker Christine Quinn, according to a Marist poll released today. Mr. Weiner polls at a relatively formidable 19 percent, while Ms. Quinn continues her slide, falling to 24 percent, her lowest percentage in a Marist poll yet.

Mr. Weiner increased from 15 to 19 percent since Marist last took their poll in April amid speculation that he would enter the race.

Trailing Ms. Quinn and Mr. Weiner in the Democratic primary are Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, former Comptroller Bill Thompson, Comptroller John Liu, former Councilman Sal Albanese and Rev. Erick Salgado respectively.

“The Democratic primary for mayor remains wide open,” pollster Lee Miringoff said in a statement. “It is likely to come down to who can punch their ticket for the runoff.”

Indeed, in what may be a first this cycle, the firm polled the potential run-off election in the likely event that none of the candidates garner 40 percent of the vote in the primary. According to Marist, Ms. Quinn would win 48 to 33 percent against Mr. Weiner, with 18 percent undecided; she would defeat Mr. de Blasio 48 to 30 percent; she would win an outright majority against Mr. Liu with 53 percent; and she would top Bill Thompson 44 percent to 34 percent.

Marist found that a majority of voters--53 percent--said Mr. Weiner deserves "a second chance." Almost 40 percent, however, do not believe Mr. Weiner has "the character to be mayor" and 8 percent are unsure. Among Democrats, 59 percent believe he deserves a second chance.

View the results below:

Anthony Weiner in the parade.

Anthony Weiner angered some in his old Forest Hills neighborhood when he skipped their parade yesterday, but the former congressman did not encounter any wrath this morning as he frenetically raced around to greet people and pose for pictures at the Laurelton Memorial Day parade. He even shared a few wisecracks with his entourage of reporters.

"How does a struggling newspaper still get nine reporters to cover me?" a grinning Mr. Weiner, who's become a media phenomenon since he suddenly announced his mayoral campaign last week, asked a New York Post reporter at one point.

As he waved and shouted, "Hello my name is Anthony Weiner," one woman cried from her porch, "I know!"

"Everyone knows your face," she added, referencing the infamous Twitter scandal that led to his political downfall two years ago.

Mr. Weiner then turned to Politicker.

"That was just for you," he offered. "I got you some copy."

Mr. Weiner, who said he does not like to march with elected officials, was at the parade's back end, perpetually chatting with whomever floated near him. He had only the one event in the predominately black southeastern Queens neighborhood on his schedule, eschewing larger parades across the city where his rivals would be marching later in the day.

"I hate for you to think there's a giant strategic imperative but I had child care issues," Mr. Weiner told Politicker when asked why he was only attending the one parade. "Give me a month before you say, 'Okay he left somebody out.' ... I'm not sure it's being fair to us."

Mr. Weiner, with a slight sore throat, told Politicker that returning to the campaign trail was like "seeing live pitching" after a long period out, and he seemed to revel in again playing the role of retail politician. He shook hands with passers-by in parked cars and darted up lush lawns and sidewalks to chat about the struggles of the middle class.

At another point during the march, Mr. Weiner began quizzing a 13-year-old named Richard Ezechiels about political trivia, asking him who the vice president is and to name the mayors who preceded Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The boy mostly answered correctly, leading Mr. Weiner to tell him how, in the third grade, he lost a class election while running on a platform of abolishing fish sticks from the cafeteria.

"So I gave this great speech--or at least I thought it was--I remembered all the words to it and I got it just right," he told the boy. His opponent "gave what I thought was a terrible speech. It was disorganized; it didn't have any ideas. But when he was done, he takes out his backpack ... and tore off lollipops and put them on their desks. I got squashed. I became big devotee of campaign finance reform that day."

There were only a couple minor hiccups. While standing in front of a group bearing a giant yellow "Federated Blocks of Laurelton" banner, Mr. Weiner briefly, and accidentally, held up an entire section of the parade.

"Could you walk a little faster," one of the banner carriers groused, the gap between herself and the rest of the parade widening by the second.

For their part, two of Mr. Weiner's less-sensational rivals also attended the parade: City Comptroller John Liu and former Comptroller Bill Thompson. Mr. Liu slipped into the parade near Mr. Weiner and began shaking hands with the marchers. As Mr. Liu made his way toward his new rival, Mr. Weiner jokingly asked him, "What am I, chopped liver?"

Mr. Liu finally shook his hand. As Mr. Liu took his place behind the "Federated Blocks of Laurelton" banner, we asked him what he thought about Mr. Weiner showing up at the Memorial Day parade.

"Happy Memorial Day," Mr. Liu said, ending the conversation there.

John Liu and Peter Vallone Jr. pose on their sweet rides. (Photo: Facebook)

Queens Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. is a self-proclaimed conservative Democrat, a sharp-tongued proponent of stop-and-frisk and a perpetual thorn in the side of the borough's Democratic establishment. John Liu is perhaps the most left-wing candidate in the mayoral race, in favor of abolishing the controversial anti-crime tactic and was once a darling of the Queens Democratic Party.

Yet Mr. Liu, the city comptroller running for mayor, and Mr. Vallone, who is running for borough president, may form a seemingly unlikely alliance that could further both of their ambitions.

The two Democrats have been in discussion about a plan to endorse each other, help carry petitions for each other and aid in pulling votes from certain constituencies, according to several Queens Democratic insiders familiar with their plans.

"Nothing's set yet and I am weighing my options when it comes to mayoral endorsements," Mr. Vallone told Politicker this afternoon when reached for a response. “But certainly, I would absolutely be considering the only candidate from Queens County."

Mr. Liu is extremely popular in the Asian community and, with no Asian candidates in the borough president's race, the large Queens voting bloc is up for grabs. Mr. Vallone, whose dad was a storied institution in Astoria, has his own loyal following, potentially bolstering Mr. Liu's standing in the neighborhood.

"I think John Liu is going to help Peter Vallone in a big way in Flushing and with the Asian community," said one insider. “What is John Liu's option at this point? He needs someone to get petitions, signatures and share the costs--it's very expensive."

Though far apart politically on many issues, Mr. Vallone said he and Mr. Liu have long been friends, riding motorcycles and wave runners together.

"When we were elected, I remember joking at my inauguration that while he was the first Asian-American elected in New York City, which was a huge milestone, I wasn't even the first Peter Vallone elected to the City Council," Mr. Vallone said, referring to his father, the long-time City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Jr.

The borough president candidate recently backed by the Queens Democratic Party, former Councilwoman Melinda Katz, did not endorse Mr. Liu when he faced David Yassky in a run-off during the comptroller's race in 2009. That, coupled with the Democratic Party's endorsement of Council Speaker Christine Quinn over Mr. Liu for mayor, frees both to go rogue and challenge the county organization.

The fact that they're long-time friends also helps. Mr. Vallone, for instance, was the first pol sighted by Politicker at Mr. Liu's fund-raising birthday bash.

"He's a very cool guy," Mr. Vallone said of Mr. Liu, whose campaign did not return a request for comment.

Four of the Democratic mayoral candidates at a Crain's New York Business forum. (Photo: Jill Colvin)

Anthony who?

Scandal-scarred former Congressman Anthony Weiner may be splashed across news sites and television screens across the city, but his new opponents were reluctant to weigh in on Mr. Weiner's mayoral bid Wednesday morning--hours after he officially jumped into the mayor's race with a video posted on a re-vamped website.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn literally refused to mention Mr. Weiner by name as she was bombarded with questions from reporters before a Crain's New York Business mayoral forum in Midtown. Instead, she returned to her own record again and again.

"This race--I don't care who's in it--is about what the candidates have done for New York's middle class and what our vision is for New York's middle class moving forward," she said. "I don't care who enter the race. Nobody has a better, stronger, clearer record of delivering for working class and middle class New Yorkers than I do."

Ms. Quinn, whose chance of avoiding a run-off has likely been decimated by Mr. Weiner, said it was up to voters to decide whether they could get past the former congressman's sexting scandal. All that mattered to her, she said, was making her case.

"Why should I talk about anybody but myself? I'm the one running for mayor, here!" she exclaimed. "My opponents, with all due respect, aren't the question. The question is my record of having delivered for New Yorkers and my specific set of plans."

Former Comptroller Bill Thompson, who is generally thought to benefit most from Mr. Weiner's entry, far more welcoming.

"Welcome aboard," he said on the topic, arguing that anyone who can add to the conversation will be an asset to the race. "I think that former Congressman Weiner can bring some ideas to this discussion, hopefully add to the dialogue that we're having about New York City and what the next mayor of the city of New York is gonna do," he said.

The candidates were later asked about Mr. Weiner's record on stage during the forum, which was attended by four of the major Democrats. Is he qualified to be mayor "by temperament and experience," moderator Greg David asked.

"I think that that is going to be up to the people of the City of New York as they judge all of us during this election season," said Mr. Thompson. "So it isn't for me. It is up to the people of the City of New York."

Ms. Quinn agreed. "What I think the voters are really concerned about is making sure that the next mayor is someone who ... actually has had a record during their career in government or their career in the private sector of actually delivering for New Yorkers," she said.

City Comptroller John Liu was more blunt: "Honestly, I won't be voting for him," he said in a less-than-stunning revelation before pivoting to his own record. He later told reporters he was sick of the hype surrounding Mr. Weiner and was eager to talk about more substantive issues.

"Now that he's made it official, hopefully this media circus will end and we can start talking about schools, public safety and affordable housing," said. "Any issue is a fair game."

Former Councilman Sal Albanese was the only candidate willing to take a shot, attacking Mr. Weiner as "just another career politician" with what he described as "some additional quirks"

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio skipped the forum to attend an endorsement press conference with the Communications Workers of America District 1. His spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Mr. Weiner's decision to enter the race.

Anthony Weiner's launches his campaign. (http://www.anthonyweiner.com)

He's in. After weeks of speculation, disgraced ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner has officially thrown his hat into the mayor's race, announcing he's running with a new video posted on his revamped campaign website at midnight on Wednesday.

"Look, I made some big mistakes. And I know I let a lot of people down. But I've also learned some tough lessons," he says in the video, which opens with a family scene of the former councilman and his wife, Huma Abedin, having breakfast in their kitchen with their young son.

"I'm running for mayor 'cause I've been fighting for the middle class and those struggling to make it my entire life. And I hope I get a second chance to work for you,"  he says into the camera in the 2-minute, slickly-shot reel.

The video goes on to show iconic scenes of the city and images of Mr. Weiner growing up in Brooklyn, and goes on to outline a platform that includes dropping fines for small businesses and more opportunities for the middle class.

He also gets an endorsement from his wife, Ms. Abedin, who revealed she was pregnant after the scandal broke. "We love this city and no one'll work harder to make it better than Anthony," she says, sitting next to her husband on the steps of his childhood home.

The announcement comes nearly two years to the day after Mr. Weiner destroyed his Congressional career by tweeting out a photo of his underwear-clad crotch that had been intended as a private message--and then repeatedly lying about it in interviews and at press conferences, claiming his account had been hacked. He eventually admitted to having inappropriate relationships with half a dozen women online, sending them lewd text messages and images.

At the time, the idea a comeback seemed incomprehensible.

But Mr. Weiner has been plotting one for months, beginning with a glossy New York Times profile, followed by a round of television interviews and a return to Twitter--where he has been touting proposals from a largely-recycled book of policy proposals.

Now, Mr. Weiner's entree has the power to turn the race on its head. While the scandal might give many voters pause, it also cemented Mr. Weiner's name recognition. And with more than $4 million in his campaign account, he'll be able to pack a punch.

Observers have been mixed about how Mr. Weiner will impact the field, but Public Advocate Bill de Blasio appears to have the most to lose. A long-time Brooklyn resident and fellow former councilman, Mr. Weiner is expected to appeal to the same outer-borough, ethnic whites and progressive voters who feel Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the race's early front-runner, has been too close to the current mayor.

A recent poll showed Mr. Weiner would enter the race in second place, behind only Ms. Quinn.

Update (2:13 a.m.):

It appears Mr. Weiner's campaign may have pulled the trigger earlier than intended. Shortly after the campaign's new "Weiner for Mayor" website went live, it reverted back to an older version of the site that had been up since Mr. Weiner's resignation. Then, just after 2 a.m., the mayoral version was restored.

Mr. Weiner did not respond to requests for comment on whether there had indeed been a mix-up, but sources told The Post the video wasn't supposed to be posted until later Wednesday.  The video remained available via YouTube.

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. (Photo: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall holds one of the most prominent elected offices in Queens. But the 83-year-old lawmaker was apparently unaware until yesterday that John Liu was running for mayor.

During the Queens Democratic Party's endorsement event Monday, a reporter for a Chinese-language newspaper asked Ms. Marshall if she was disappointed the county hadn't backed Mr. Liu, who lives in the borough and used to represent it on the City Council. (They backed City Council Speaker Christine Quinn instead.)

According to a source who witnessed the conversation, an article in The China Press and an interview with the reporter who interviewed the borough president, Ms. Marshall appeared confused by the question.

Well, he's facing opposition in his re-election campaign for comptroller, Ms. Marshall reportedly answered. City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, who was standing near Ms. Marshall, leaned over to explain to her that Mr. Liu is actually running for mayor--prompting surprise.

Oh, I like him, I don't know why we didn't endorse him, then, Ms. Marshall reportedly replied.

Asked about the exchange on Tuesday, Dan Andrews, Ms. Marshall's spokesman, said the borough president was well aware of Mr. Liu's candidacy and didn't recall the conversation.

“She may have misspoken, thinking he is currently the comptroller," Mr. Andrews said. “I think that’s all it is.”

Ms. Marshall, who was elected in 2001 after serving in the City Council and the New York State Assembly, has just one year left in her final term. But some observers have raised questions about her muted activity. Colleagues described Ms. Marshall as increasingly absent-minded, sometimes repeating herself and forgetting things.

“It’s been getting worse over time,” observed one Queens Democratic source, who said this fall's election can't come soon enough. “I think she’s winding down a long political career and is less engaged in the job than she used to be," said another.

Others were less forgiving. "Nothing against Helen personally, but for several years she's been a couple miles past out to lunch," a Queens insider quipped. "On a good day."

The Daily News reported in April that Ms. Marshall, who gets paid $160,000 a year, has been increasing absent from her office and took off more than 40 days in 2012. She was reportedly off duty for much of the summer, in addition to numerous Mondays and Fridays throughout the year. According to the New York Post, she spends much of her time in the Hamptons and caring for her ailing husband.

Mr. Andrews dismissed the concerns as well as Ms. Marshall's absences.

“I would say that she’s [nearly] 84 years old," he said, noting that she only has another seven months left until her final term is up. "It’s another seven months and she’s doing the job .... I think what has to be done, she does."

The Barack Obama Democrat Club of Upper Manhattan. (Photo: www.obamadems.org)

Upper Manhattan's Barack Obama Democratic Club voted last night on its endorsements, and the list might surprise you. The home club of City Councilman Robert Jackson and City Council candidate Mark Levine, a long-time ally of State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, gave its nods to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio for mayor and City Councilwoman Letitia James for public advocate.

It also voted to endorse Mr. Jackson for Manhattan borough president and--unsurprisingly--Mr. Levine for the 7th District council seat, currently held by the term-limited Mr. Jackson.

The endorsements were all decisive, except for the mayor's race, which required an instant run-off vote. There, Mr. de Blasio beat out second-place finisher, City Comptroller John Liu, 39-18. Former Congressman Anthony Weiner, who is expected to jump into the race any moment now, also garnered two votes (versus six for former City Comptroller Bill Thompson, the only African-American in the race, and eight for City Council Speaker and earl front-runner Christine Quinn.)

Mr. Levine, who has long been a player in Uptown politics, was previously endorsed by Mr. de Blasio, who has had a long-standing relationship with the club, whose members hail from the largely black and Hispanic neighborhoods of Washington Heights, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights and Inwood.

"When the vote was announced last night, Bill de Blasio said, 'T'his is a huge step forward.' The club membership clearly agrees," club spokesman Alex Luis Castex-Porter said. "Tonight we backed him, and many other qualified, progressive candidates. The Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan is looking forward to working with our endorsed candidates to ensure that New York City sees strong, progressive leadership in 2014."

Mr. Jackson is currently fighting a tough battle for borough president against several well-connected candidates, including former Lower Manhattan community board chair Julie Menin. Mr. Espaillat, City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez and other uptown leaders have endorsed Ms. Menin. (Mr. Jackson infuriated Mr. Espaillat last year when the councilman backed his challenger and long-time rival, ex-Assemblyman Guillermo Linares, who had made a failed play for Mr. Espaillat's senate seat.)

But despite what sources described as Ms. Menin's aggressive attempts to court members, the club chose to endorse Mr. Jackson by a margin of more than 2-1.

Political club endorsements are not crucial, but are often cited by campaigns as signs of growing momentum and often help candidates collect petition signatures and mobilize voters.