While Mayor Giuliani was known for his temper, Joe Lhota, who served as his deputy mayor and is now a Republican candidate for mayor of NYC, was described in aNY Times profile in 1999 "as the most easygoing member of the Mayor's tightly knit, tightly wound inner circle. While he can bluster as expertly as any other Giuliani aide, Mr. Lhota is better known for what sets him apart: his willingness to talk openly and his insouciant humor, which make him one of the quirkiest personalities in City Hall."
Unlike his Democratic counterpart, City Council speaker Christine Quinn, who was described in an extensive NY times piece by Mike Grynbaum and David Chen this week as "controlling, temperamental and surprisingly volatile," Joe Lhota's work at City Hall was described as totally the opposite: A calm voice for a combative mayor.
While Catsimatidis is touting on his Democratic background as an electability argument against Joe Lhota in the Republican primary, Goerge McDonald, who is running low in campaign funds, is doing the opposite. In an internal six-page memo leaked to the WSJ (intentionally?), the McDonald campaign has decided the path to victory is by going on offense to explain Republican voters why Joe Lhota is "simply unelectable."
"The paradoxical challenge of Lhota's campaign strategy is that to win the primary he must closely identify with Mayor Giuliani but in doing so he creates a political environment that is simply insurmountable in the general election," according to the March 25 memo sent to the McDonald campaign's finance-committee members.
"Oh Right, that's because we are in court and the judge hasn't ruled yet," mayoral candidate George McDonald's response was as I approached him in the spin room over his poor showing in the latest financial disclosure. According to the Daily News, McDonald, who's been accepting over-limit donations while fighting the giving laws, raised a mere $21,204 between Jan. 12 and March 13th.
The star of the night at the 92Y was neither of the candidates running for mayor, but a 89 year old guy who complained about too many express vs. too little local buses.
"It's all about winning. It all about making sure one of us wins. You need the money, and you the need the ability to appeal," Business mogul John Catsimatidis modified his message in his closing argument at the 92Y mayoral debate sponsored by the New York Observer.
"A pure Republican can't win, It's impossible" Catsimatidis elaborated following the debate, in a brief conversation with NYC Elects. "When Romney lost in NYC 80-19, a pure Republican can't win." he added.
As we reported last week, Joe Lhota has picked up the endorsement of another county committee thus dealing a severe blow to the candidacy of Adolfo Carrion, now losing his magic entry to participate in the Republican primary.
On the same day that he received the endorsement of the city's council members, Joe Lhota has racked up the endorsement of Bronx County GOP Chairman Jay Savino, the Daily Politics blog has learned.
You gotta sympathize with Joe Lhota, if you're a fellow tweep. Prior to launching his mayoral bid in January former MTA chairman Joe Lhota was an extremely prolific Twitter user. Since hitting the campaign trail, Mr. Lhota has made far fewer posts on the social media site and stopped tweeting the witticisms he was previously known for.
When Hunter Walker from Politicker saw Mr. Lhota at lunch yesterday, he asked him why he reduced his Twitter presence. Mr. Lhota attributed his lower Twitter profile to instructions from his campaign press team, specifically, his spokeswoman Susan Del Percio.
“I eventually will get back. You know I get handled by my press people,” said Mr. Lhota. “Susan, she threatened me, so I have to be careful.”
While He has managed to ramp up support among county chairs and local individuals, Billionaire John Catsimatidis got hit in the head by non other than one of the Queens GOP rising stars, Councilman Eric Ulrich.
"He’s a buffoon -- and he will never get elected mayor in New York," said Ulrich at a Wednesday press conference.
"Many of you don't look old enough to remember what the city was like 20
years ago," Mayoral candidate Joe Lhota told a small gathering of young Brooklyn
Republicans on Sunday. "The changes that have been made since then in
quality of life, in reduction in crime and what's happened all
throughout the city have been nothing short of spectacular."
Former Staten Island GOP Congressman Vito Fossella, who quit Congress amid a love child scandal in 2008, is making a big political splash – endorsing billionaire supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis for mayor, The NY Post has learned.
“My candidate for mayor is John Catsimatidis. I will do whatever I can to help him,” Fossella said. “John is a wonderful, amazing guy. I admire his accomplishments. There’s not a guy out there who is more real. I know his passion for New York City,” Fossella added.
Republican mayoral hopeful Joe Lhota is getting a fundraising assist from ex-Gov. George Pataki just hours before the CFB deadline - March 13th,Celeste Katz reports.
"Joe is a dedicated public servant and a successful private sector executive. He served as Mayor Rudy Giuliani's Deputy Mayor and has worked tirelessly for all New Yorkers," John Cahill, who served as Pataki's senior advisor and COS, wrote in an email invite for the Manhattan fundraiser benefiting Lhota.
"I know we can elect Joe as our next Mayor and win this race.But more importantly, we must win this race so New York continues to flourish," Cahill continued.
UPDATED: The Brooklyn Orthodox paper Hamodia, that covered up for Assemblyman Dov Hikind by not reporting a word about the Purim 'Blackface' controversy, highlighted in Thursday's newspaper Mayoral candidate' George McDonald's comments about Jailing more blacks. The news review of the NYC 2013 race also included Beep candidate Eric Adams' past controversial comments about Jews, as revealed by Gatemouth, despite the fact that Adams was never asked to adress the issue in public, and has ever since earned praise and welcomed by events of all local Jewish organizations. Not to mention a number of leaders that participated at his kick off campaign rally.
Joe Lhota may have won the first GOP debate by a single shot. Newt Gingrich's John King moment in the SC primary debate has turned into a tactical game changer for candidates seeking the spotlight. The most memorable moment of the Wednesday morning forum, sponsored by Crain's New York Business, came ahead of the closing statements, when Crain's columnist Greg David, in a question posed to Mr. Lhota, called former Mayor Rudy Giuliani a "jerk."
What happens when a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent and a Liberal enter a room together? It's a Republican mayoral debate. At least that was the impression of the first GOP mayoral debate hosted by Crains New York business in Manhattan Wednesday morning.
Three of the five candidates participating at the candidate forum are former Democrats who are seeking the Republican nomination; the other describes himself as a 'Clinton Democrat' or rather a 'Republicat' in short. Joe Lhota was the only pure Republican in the room; thus that was heart of the discussion - whether a pure Republican can win a mayoral contest in NYC.
One of the known Talmudic teachings talks about the characteristics of different types of people with regard to wealth: ('Ethics of the Fathers' - Chapter 5, Mishnah 10)- "There are four characteristics among people: One who says, "Mine is mine and yours is yours," that is the mark of the average person; some say that is the mark [of the people] of Sodom. [One who says,] "Mine is yours and yours is mine," [that is the mark of] an ignorant person. [He who says,] "Mine is yours and yours is yours," [that is the mark of] a godly [person]. [One who says,] "Yours is mine and mine is mine," [that is the mark of] an evil person."
Republican Mayoral candidate George McDonald scored a small, but significant, win in court yesterday: For the time being, he can collect campaign donations that are legal under state law but exceed the $4,950-per-donor limit imposed by the city, the NYPost reports.
At a press conference at the foot of the Verrazano Bridge in Brooklyn this afternoon, with Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis at his side, mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis was asked by Ross Barkan from Politickerabout Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s controversial plan to ban high-sugar drinks in cups or containers bigger than 16 ounces.
“I wouldn’t want my kids to drink 32 ounce sodas,” said Mr. Catsimatidis, explaining that he would also want more health education programs put in public schools. “When I went to the movies a couple of weeks ago and I looked at the 32 oz soda and it said 1,100 calories, wow, never in a million years would I buy that one!”
Mr. Catsimatidis also promised a mysterious press conference in Brooklyn next week. “Stay tuned to next week. We saved jobs in Brooklyn nobody knows about,” he told Politicker.
Republican mayoral candidate has not yet hired a pollster, although its in the makings according to his campaign manager, but he was fast enough to dismiss the latest poll showing him with a mere 5% of support among NYC Republican voters.
“I love when they underestimate me,” he told The Daily News. “People have been underestimating me from a little Greek island to 135th St to top of American industry.”
Three of the potential Republican mayoral candidates met a welcoming crowd at the first Brooklyn Young Conservative Club' Presidents Day dinner Thursday night. Joe Lhota, George McDonald and Adolfo Carrion, who came with an Independence party slot in pocket addressed the crowd in acknowledging the significance of the Conservative party's growing base in Southern Brooklyn.
Former MTA chief and the favorite candidate in the Republican party, Joe Lhota introduced his candidacy by quipping: "I am Joe Lhota, and I am running for Mayor of NYC."
Channeling Jimmy McMillan's gubernatorial run in 2010 theme, Lhota reminded the crowd of the rent is too damn high slogan, saying "I will be the candidate who will say over and over: "The government is too damn expensive."
"The job is too complicated for on the job training," Lhota said while touting his experience in the private and public sector as the best equipped for the job and challenges "on day one."
"We are going to have an interesting race," Lhota said while pointing out the presence of Adolfo Carrion, presenting him as a third party candidate. "I think it is going to be very interesting to see how one can win this race," he added. Lhota's confidence lays in the belief, as he expressed later on in a private conversation that Carrion's candidacy will do more harm to the potential Democratic nominee.
Adolfo Carrion, who spoke right after him, briefly introduced himself as the one that could bring New Yorkers together. Adding that he's looking forward "to a robust discussion of the future of our city."
George McDonald also addressed the crowd by touting his experience in providing help for the homeless, "not by going to Bain Capital, but to main capital."
McDonald was approached by the Observer's Colin Campbell who asked him whether he is also Jewish, seen that every Republican candidate has somehow found some Jewish connection to their personal life. Shockingly, McDonald revealed that his wife is Jewish.
John Catsimatidis plans to deploy some of his massive personal fortune to improve his standing, setting up his campaign as the ultimate test of how much credibility money can buy, according to Hunter Walker, who wrote up a Politicker profile. “Right now, you know, we’re budgeting a million dollars a month,” said Mr. Catsimatidis. “We’ll see where we go.”
