'Don't think for a moment, by the way, that just because NYC is a liberal town a Republican candidate can't win this — that's how Bloomberg and Giuliani both won their seats," writes Linette Lopez in the Business Insider.
The question remains, in this epic race, who has the shine to stand up to the plate? And who are they?
In a brief profile of the top tier candidates, the Business Insider takes a close look at who might become the next mayor of NYC.
GOP Field: Are They, Were They, Republicans?
Who is John Catsimatidis?
"And here's what he told the NYT: 'Am I a Republican? Yes. Am I a Democrat? Yes. Am I a conservative? Yes. Am I a liberal? Yes,' he said, his ringed fingers rapping the table. 'We’re right in the middle. What are we? We’re pro-people. But, we’re also pro-business.'.."
What are his chances?
"Not good. Catsimatedes has tried for the Republican before and failed. Plus, his grocery stores are not well loved in the city and he's a gaffe machine."
Who is Tom Allon?
Well, basically other than that he's running for mayor, we also know that "Allon is a Democrat turned Republican. His campaign is emphasizing education, jobs, and government transparency."
What are his chances?
"Not great. He lacks name recognition and both Catsimatedes and Joe Lhota will probably have more money than him."
Who is George McDonald?
Yes, we know he helped the homeless. "he's a big fan of former Mayor Giuliani (another Republican). However, like Allon, McDonald switched his party affiliation to run on the Republican ticket."
Who is Adolfo Carrion?
"A lifelong Democrat, Carrion renounced his affiliation with the party last year. He's pretty liberal, but he's shown that he can think outside the constraints of party and geography."
What are his chances?
"Carrion is the heavy favorite for getting the Independence party's nod. That's huge because it means he'll be able to run whether he gets the GOP nomination or not. Because he's not officially a Republican, he has to get the blessing of 3 out of the 5 Republican party bosses (one for each borough) to be on their ticket, and with Joe Lhota in the mix that could be tough
Who is Joe Lhota?
Well, he in fact is a Republican. He even voted for Richard Nixon. He's "a pragmatic Bloomberg-esque Republican vibe. He'll likely emphasize the city's budget and infrastructure, two areas he knows well."
What are his chances?
"Lhota has a good chance of getting the Republican nomination but his lack of name recognition could hurt him after the primaries. He's respected for the way he handled Super Storm Sandy and some big NYC money, like billionaire Ken Langone and John Tisch. However, he doesn't have a ton of time to raise money and if he has to start deploying cash early, he may be in a tight spot."
Democratic Primary: Left, Liberal, Progressive or Leaning Left?
Who is Christine Quinn?
"Quinn is pretty liberal, but she's not the most liberal of the back. She supports unions, but to a point."
What are her chances?
"Good. Quinn has raised more money than anyone else, the city knows her, and New Yorkers like that she would be the first openly gay mayor."
Who is Bill Thompson?
"Thompson is slightly to the left of Quinn. He supports more affordable housing, more aid for Sandy victims, and more funding for the NYPD."
What are his chances?
"Not too shabby. If the Democratic primary turns into an anti-Bloomberg slugfest and he can nail Quinn, he's got a shot.
Who is Bill de Blasio?
"He's probably the most liberal candidate in the field. He's branding himself as an outer-borough candidate that can unite everyone."
What are his chances?
"de Blasio has some powerful allies, like former fireman turned Hollywood actor Steve Buschemi. He also has a former Obama campaign staffer on his team. Still, he may be a little too lefty for New Yorkers."
Who is John Liu?
"The first Asian American politician to hold a city-wide office. Liu has had a visibly tense relationship with Mayor Bloomberg."
What are his chances?
"Not great. Liu's campaign has been rocked with scandal. In 2011 and 2012 both his top fundraiser, Oliver Pan, and his former treasurer, Jenny Hou, were arrested for campaign financing fraud."
Forget Lex Lhauter, Ognibene is going to run.
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