New York City

De Blasio surges ahead in race for NYC Mayor

August 13, 2013 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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Public Advocate Bill de Blasio — the leading elected official to support Long Island College Hospital — has pulled ahead in the Democratic race for New York City mayor with 30 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday.

De Blasio is followed by former front-runner City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who has dropped to 24 percent. Former Comptroller William Thompson polled 22 percent.

Trailing the three top runners are former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner with 10 percent, Comptroller John Liu with 6 percent, 1 percent for former Council member Sal Albanese and 7 percent undecided.

Quinnipiac attributed de Blasio’s surge, with four weeks left in the campaign, to “strong support from white Democratic likely primary voters” and “voters critical of the so- called stop-and-frisk police tactic.”

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De Blasio, a former City Councilman representing Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, has impressed Brooklyn voters with his lawsuit to save Long Island College Hospital (LICH) and his ambitious proposal to form a Brooklyn Health Authority, with sweeping powers to preserve healthcare in Brooklyn. His plan for universal preschool has also been applauded, along with his focus on poverty in New York City.

“Whether we are ahead in the polls or behind, Bill de Blasio’s message has always been clear.  He is the only Democrat who will break from the Bloomberg years by raising taxes on the wealthy to invest in universal pre-K and after-school programs, ending racial profiling, and fighting to save community hospitals,” de Blasio’s Campaign Manager Bill Hyers said in a statement on Tuesday.

Among those critical of stop-and-frisk, 34 percent back de Blasio, with 24 percent for Thompson and 22 percent for Quinn. Democratic likely voters support 66 – 25 percent the creation of an inspector general to independently monitor the New York Police Department.

“A few weeks ago, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio looked like an also-ran. Today, he’s the leader of the pack, and a winner in the runoffs. Follow the bouncing ball, folks. This line-up keeps changing,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

“Nobody thinks former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner will pack it in, but 52 percent of likely Democratic primary voters wish he’d go away and 51 percent say they’d never vote for him,” Carroll said.

Updated at 4:03 with a quote from de Blasio’s campaign manager.

Updated at 4:33 with higher resolution photo.


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