Mayoral Mayhem: Are you listening?

Election day isn't until November, so many New Yorkers are simply sitting back and not paying too much attention to the battle that is brewing on the Democratic side or the Republican side. Some expect it'll be Fernando Ferrer against Michael Bloomberg, since they are considered the favorites to get their party's vote. Of course, anything could happen when those paying attention go to the polls for the September Primary. You might not think much of it, but an upset could be in store for us this year, like the one back in 1977, when a dark horse candidate, running fourth in the polls, won the Democratic Primary and ended up being elected Mayor. This past Friday, AMNew York ran a cover page story on how the four Democrats are stumbling towards the finish line with no clear cut favorite. Even the 1977 winner, former Mayor Ed Koch thinks, "...[N]obody is excited about the four. They don't appear to have gravitas..."


Fernando Ferrer has stumbled not once, but twice in his campaign. First, with his remarks regarding the Dialo shooting sent ripples through many supporters of his campaign. Since then, he has retracted his comments, but then he has announced a tax-hike plan that even his fellow Democrats are attacking as careless. Rep. Anthony Wiener is leading the attack against Mr. Ferrer's tax plan and is starting to get notice from the New York Times. Randal C. Archibold ran a lead piece in the Saturday Metro Section titled, "On Mayoral Issues, Weiner Has an Idea or Two (or More)." If that's not a clear sign of who the New York Times is starting to lean towards, I don't know what is.


With the Fab Four on the Democratic side getting tepid treatment from the press, one would think Mayor Bloomberg would just need to sit back and coast until a few weeks before Election Day when it comes time to start campaigning on TV and radio. But Mayor Bloomberg isn't going unchallenged for the Republican ballot line. He actually has two challengers who are going all out to either push Mr. Bloomberg to the Right, or simply knock him off the party line.


The first challenger is an investment banker from Brooklyn, Steve Shaw. Mr. Shaw is a fiscally minded Republican who has been charging forward with a campaign attacking the mayor on positions Mr. Bloomberg has taken during his first term. Mr. Shaw holds a strong libertarian view in that government should not be doing everything and that we new yorkers should retain our Rights to do what we please within the boundaries of law. Mr. Shaw attacks the mayor on the property tax increase, reinstating the sales tax and passing the smoking ban. The young investment banker has an uphill battle, but he's starting to get press and some notice.


The second challenger is former City Council Minority Leader, Tom Ognibene. After a Downstate Summit held by the Rockaway Republicans, which took to task the issues that face the Republican Party in New York City and State, Mr. Ognibene realized he could be a messenger for the conservative minded republicans who do not have a recognizable voice in this year's election. So Mr. Ognibene put together a campaign and entered the race for mayor. Immediately, he received support from the Queens County Republican Committee, but in the end, after courting the Bronx and Staten Island, would only receive an endorsement of one borough. Still, it's almost certain Mr. Ognibene will receive the Conservative Party line this November and he is running a well seasoned campaign of attacking the Mayor's liberal positions and forcing Republican voters to choose for a true republican candidate.


It will be interesting to see if it comes down to how much money you have or about true ideology on the Republican line. Mr. Bloomberg isn't going to move to the Right any more than he already is, so the primary goal in the Primary would be to remove his name from the ballot line. Even if Mayor Bloomberg loses the Republican line, he could very well get the Independence Party line, or even the Liberal Party line, if the Liberal Party seeks a ballot line this year.


It's still early and anything could happen next week or next month. Even if the Democrats are stumbling along without finding a favorite, it's definitely becoming more and more interesting on the Republican side. One can only hope New Yorkers are starting to pay attention to this race. One of our Magnificent Seven will be our next mayor.