Where They Start and End, The Candidates Pass To Victory (Or Not)

Quite an entertaining interactive profile of the , so far, nine candidates running for mayor and their chances, by Michael Barbaro and Tom Giratikanon in the NY Times. 

From "Christine Quinn is the frontrunner until she isnt" to Erick Slagado's "need of prayer", The Times assesses each of the candidates chances to overcome their hurdles, their path to victory  their nightmare scenario that would hold back that victory, and their boldest plan proposed on the trail.

For example, while Ms. Quinn is right now viewed as the frontrunner, Public advocate Bill de Blasio can squeak his way into the runoff "with the right campaign", and become the frontrunner candidate for mayor. 

On the other side of the aisle, While Joe Lhota is highly admired by editorial board members, I gotta admit that personal touch he has in interaction, he's unknown to voters. However, "long-shot Republicans have a knack for becoming mayor in this city." His nightmare scenario that could hold back that statistic is: "New Yorkers fall in love with John Catsimatidis." 

Mr. Catsimatidis's plan to win the Republican primary is, by putting his biography — as an up-from-the-bootstraps Greek immigrant — at the center of his campaign, arguing that it will appeal to the outer-borough Italian, German and Irish voters in the Republican Party who feel left behind by an Upper East Side mayor. "To undercut his leading Republican rival, Joseph J. Lhota, Mr. Catsimatidis will portray him as the toll-hiking enemy of Staten Island, the city’s Republican capital," Barbaro writes   

Once winning the Republican primary, his path to victory depends on who emerges as the victor of the Democratic primary. if he faces a white candidate in the general election, Mr. Catsimatidis's advisors believe he can build a potent coalition of black, Latino and Asian voters who see his story as theirs. Regardless, the NY Times promises all those junkies and press guys: "It will, at the very least, be entertaining."

For instant, Bill Thomspon is trying to convince skeptical donors that he has fire in the belly despite a sometimes retiring style. "But rather than turning up the energy, lately he has been turning up the volume, shouting zingers and pounding tables," at candidate forums -the only place he actually shows up to. 

Sal Albanese has no shot at all, the NY times claims, Yet his nightmare scenario is only of finishing last. 

John Liu, is the second most natural politician in the race, quick to deliver bruising jabs and deft at reading crowds. But his 24 hr machine drive doesn't seem to take him, yet, to the finish line. 

Erick Salgado, who's trying to build on those who believe in faith and conservative values, needs a prayer to get to City hall, while his biggest nightmare would be: "Mr. Sharpton leaves MSNBC and runs for mayor (again)." Nevertheless, in my humble opinion, if the other candidates all end up at the same percentage points of each other, with the Hispanic base, Mr. Salgado can pray to emerge as a contender for the 2nd place in the run-off. 

Adolfo Carrion, might not become mayor, especially after he lost his bid to get a GOP Wilson Pakula, but he he definitely remains the Republican nominee’s dream: "Lure away Democratic voters."