Republican George McDonald Violates Law To Reform City Finance Rules

George McDonald, vying for the Republican slot and an advocate for the homeless, has taken 10 campaign contributions greater than the city’s $4,950 legal limit — including one for $40,000, The Daily News reports. McDonald's campaign has obtained a $120,000 loan in violation of city election law, too. McDonald campaign could be fined $57,050 by the city Campaign Finance Board, a board official said

Who's In The Mayor-Pack: RINO's, Left Leaning Democrats And Joe Lhota

'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. 

Kristine Davis to "Throw Brassiere In The Ring" for Mayor

Touting her economic experience and knowledge by read books written by "Von Mises, Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek," Ex-Madam and former Gubernatorial candidate, Kristine Davis is ready to take on Quinn and the other candidates in the mayoral race..

Some Snippets of the Mayoral Election NY1/Marist POll

Christine Quinn's support among Liberal Democrats is the highest with 43%, with de Blasio in second place with only 13%. 

Quinn's lead is bigger among Conservative Democrats with 38%, compared to only 33% among moderates. John Liu is in 2nd place with 16% of Conservative Democrats. Hence, 47% are still uncertain and might change their vote before election day. 

Bill Thompson has the support of less than a quarter of his strongest base:  African American voters, trailing Quinn's 29% of support. Only 32% have indicated they might change their preference before election day.

New Marist Poll: Quinn and Lhota Vaguely Lead In Mayoral Primaries

Chris Quinn and Joe Lhota, respectively lead in their party's mayoral primaries  a new NY1/Marist poll shows. In the Democratic primary  Quinn garners 37% of registered Democratic voters followed by former Comptroller Bill Thompson at 13%, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio at 12%, Comptroller John Liu at 9% and former Councilman Sal Albanese at 2%, with 26% of registered Democrats undecided. 

Number Cruncher: Could A Minority Candidate Come Close Winning Democratic Primary?

Can a long shot candidate, who's not even looked at, emerge as a top tier candidate, or even enter the run-off? The possibility and the chance of anyone hoping for this outcome are very low, yet given the demographics of the NYC population, we might wake up one day rubbing our eyes out of surprise.

SI Powerbroker Drops Support of Lhota for Ignoring Phonecalls

An important lesson to political candidates: Don't ignore telephone calls and don't stop calling. It could boost or bust your campaign either way. Some times nudging for support can pay off.

In this case, either Carrion has Mazel (good luck), or Lhota really screwed up big time. Staten Island power broker Guy Molinari and GOP mayoral candidate Joe Lhota are no more buds, according to the Staten Island newspaper. Molinari has switched his support to the wannabe Republican Adolfo Carrion, paving the path for a majority among the city's county chairmen to grant him a Wilson Pekula to enter the GOP mayoral primary.

Design Experts: Mayoral Candidates' Logos 'Abysmal' - Not Connecting With Voters

Design experts are not too convinced by the majority of the 2013 mayoral candidates' logos. Both, the Democrats and Republicans, logos rely on clichéd symbols, tired fonts and a sloppy appeal to voters, according to a panel of design and branding experts consulted by DNAinfo.com. 

Shots Fired! Mayoral Opponents React to Quinn's Middle Class SOTC Speech

Bill de Blasio (D)

“Strengthening and expanding the middle class requires more than lofty words and playing an assigned role in the annual kabuki theater that our city budget process has become,” Mr. de Blasio said, according to Politicker. “From paid sick leave to early childhood and after-school program expansion to small business advocacy, Speaker Quinn has partnered with Mayor Bloomberg in blocking programs that would make a real difference to the lives of working families. If the next four years at City Hall are simply a continuation of the last 12, we will have failed millions of forgotten New Yorkers who deserve a mayor who speaks for them.” 

Why do Bloomberg, Quinn & others think lower taxes 4 millionaires is more important than early ed 4 kids like Oscar? twitter.com/deBlasioNYC/st…

— Bill de Blasio (@deBlasioNYC) February 11, 2013

George McDonald (R)

Today Speaker Quinn failed to honor Mayor Koch's legacy of talking to NYers like adults.

— George McDonald (@McDonald4NYC) February 11, 2013

Her proposals are not to find ways to make New York more affordable by reducing costs, cutting taxes or creating efficiency.

— George McDonald (@McDonald4NYC) February 11, 2013

Mayoral Hopeful Joe Lhota 'Exceeded' Goals in Private Sector

Joe Lhota wants you to know: He's a good manager. Just ask his colleagues in the private sector, and you'll be overwhelmed. In an interview with Crains New York, Mr. Lhota told Andrew Hawkins he plans to put a spotlight on his work at Cablevision, the MTA, and his previous jobs, placing his experience as a crisis manager at the forefront of his campaign.

"If you talked to anyone that I worked for—clients when I was an investment banker, or senior execs at Cablevision and Madison Square Garden—ask them if I was able to achieve goals," he said. "They will say that I not only achieved them, but I exceeded them."

Skeptic Republican Donors Float Super PAC Plan to Bolster Joe Lhota's Campaign

Republican donors are beginning to float the idea of forming a Outside Super PAC to allow Joe Lhota's mayoral campaign overcome the financial might and electability appeal of Jon Catisimatidis within the Republican party, the NY Times reports.

As a latecomer in the race, and a  likely participant in the city’s campaign finance program, which matches private donations with public funds, Lhota's disadvantages created doubts and skepticism even by his own supporters.  “Joe has an uphill battle,” said Mr. Kalikow, a former owner of The New York Post. “I did tell him that.”

Catsimatidos, Lhota Say It's Not Carrion's Time, Not For Free!

A few months ago, it looked like the savior of the Republican party in NYC will be non other than a Obama Democrat. Carrion, who changed his party registration to unaffiliated, was seen as a gig for the Republicans to maintain NYC's control. Yet, in order to run on the Republican line he sought to seek the approval of 3 out of 5 County chairmen to grant him a Wilson-Pakula. 

Now that Joe Lhota and John Catsimatidis, who both have the name recognition to fit the frame, have jumped into the ring, they both claim there’s no need for the GOP to look outside the ranks. 

Meet Joe Lhota: He's Jewish; A Proteinist, And a Early Bird

New Yorkers just mourned the loss of the most prominent Jewish mayor. They are also departing, at the end of the year, from a 3 term Jewish mayor. Are New Yorkers ready for another Jewish Mayor?

No, he doesn't eat gefilte fish. But apparently Joe Lhota is Jewish (according to the Jewish law).

"My father’s side is from the Bohemian part, 120 km south of Prague. My mother’s father was Italian. Her mother, Jewish," Lhota told Cindy Adams in a special 'page six' profile for the NY Post. "Like New York, I’m a little of everything, which means alienating everybody else. My great-grandfather came over first," he added.

Republican County Committee Chairmen Now Believe a Primary is Good for the Party

Looks like the five Boroughs Republican Chairmen have given up on the hope of coming together to support a single candidate, in favor of a Republican primary. "It is what it is. They are all qualified," said Brooklyn GOP Chairman Craig Eaton. "That's good for the Party," he added.

Celeste Katz published a raw video of the city's five Republican county committee chairmen speaking after Monday night's meeting with five of the candidates seeking the Republican nomination for mayor.

Catsimatidis: Giuliani Told Me 'Lhota Can't Win'

Does Rudy Giuliani really believe his former deputy Joe Lhota can be elected mayor?

Well, according to Lhota’s Republican rival, John Catsimatidis, Giuliani well knows Lhota can't win.  Speaking to DNAinfo, Catsimatidis said he was at lunch last month with Giuliani when Giuliani admitted he doesn't think Lhota really has a chance. “Rudy sat there… and says, ‘Lhota can’t win.’ Eyeball to eyeball,” Catsimatidis told DNAinfo.com. “Because a pure Republican in this city can’t win," Giuliani allegedly said. 

Joe Lhota Touts 'Everyman' Status to Overcome Dem Advantage

Republican Joe Lhota hopes New York city voters choose to continue the Republican rule of the city, warning of electing the wrong person, in his case a Democrat, in an interview with Jill Colvin, for DNAinfo.com. "All of the advancements that have happened in the city over the last 20 years — all of the quality-of-life changes, all of the increases in jobs — I believe are quite fragile," Lhota told DNAinfo.com.

City Republican Chairmen 'Almost' Behind Billioniare Catsimatidis

Former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión’s mayoral candidacy is in jeopardy, since he has failed to secure the support of three of the city’s five Republican county chairmen, the WSJ reported on Friday. 

The two GOP chairmen that have previously committed themselves to Mr. Carrión, Brooklyn’s Craig Eaton and Jay Savino of the Bronx, have now privately shifted their support to Republican grocery billionaire John Catsimatidis, Chris Bragg reports in The insider. “Almost everyone is with John, it’s just not official yet,” one Republican insider told Bragg. 

In Crowded Field, WSJ Barely Finds a Handful of Mayoral Candidates

Though most of the potential mayoral candidates havens officially declared their candidacy for mayor of NYC, the field has filled up on both sides of the aisle, with various candidates just waiting for the right timing to do so.

Following Bill de Blasio's official entry to the race on Sunday outside his home in Park Slope, the WSJ made note that the Democratic primary also included Christine Quinn and Bill Thompson, facing Joe Lhota from the Republican side. In an updated version, the WSJ with the help of AP listed City Comptroller John Liu who is also running for mayor, as a potential 'Republican' candidate.

de Blasio Officially Declares Candidacy for Mayor of NYC

Flanked by a diverse crowd, enthusiastic supporters and local Park Slope and Brooklyn residents, introduced by his by his wife Chirlane and son Dante in front of the family home, Bill de Blasio declared his candidacy for Mayor of New York City. 

Received by chants of 'Yes We Can', de Blasio promised to be a mayor "of and for our neighborhoods."

Daily News Hosts 1st of # Mayoral Debates Streamed on Google+

The NY Daily News hosted Thursday night a mayoral forum in Brooklyn, the first of three the Daily News is sponsoring in conjunction with Metro IAF. The Debate which was participated by four of the Democratic candidates and two Republican was also streamed live via Google+ On-Air Hangouts. The upcoming debates will be held in February and March.