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.”

Israeli Orthodox Magazine 'Bakhila' Profiles Bill Thompson with Header- "A Shabbos Goy"

Bakhila cover of Thompson profile

"I tell people, look at the current Mayor, that is a Jew, and look at the other hand at Bill - One is Jewish, and one is Black. But in reality, the Jew is not so Jewish, and the black guy is not so black," said one of the Jewish activists, who's supporting Bill Thompson's bid for Mayor of NYC, to the Israeli Orthodox magazine 'Bakhila' in Hebrew.

In an extensive profile of former city comptroller and mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, Bakhila magazine describes Thompson's ties to the Jewish community in Brooklyn and his support for Israel, with the header: 'A Shabbos Goy' (a non-Jew who performs certain types of work for a Jew on the Sabbath).

de Blasio Says He's a 'All People' Progressive Candidate

"You are the most leftist candidate... sorry .. most progressive candidate in this race," radio host, Michael Fragin, described Mayoral candidate Bill de blasio, in a debut 'Meet The Mayoral Candidates' interview on the Spin Class / Jewish Political radio station.

After 2 decades of Republican control, 24 years after the last Democratic mayoral candidate was elected as mayor, De Blasio expressed confidence that a Democrat will become mayor of NYC come January 2014. "2013 is going to be a Democratic year," he said twice.

If Only... Catsimatis Believes He would of Won Over Koch's Heart

Wednesday's New York Post, featured a full-page tribute to the late former Mayor Ed Koch signed by Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis and his wife, Margo. 

“I paid for it personally,” Catisimatids told Politicker.

In a frank conversation with Hunter Walker of The Observer, Catsimatidis acknowledged that he never tried to persuade Mr. Koch to back him, despite of his proud affirmation that he was the closest guy in new York to President Clinton. However, had the mayor lived, Mr. Catsimatidis thinks he might have been able to win him over. “You never know, because me and him did the Congressman Turner campaign together,” said Mr. Catsimatidis noting Turner's across the line endorsement. “Do your homework on that one.”

Bill Thompson Blasts NYCHA's 'Wrongheaded Move" on Back of Low Income Families

Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson blasted the City's Housing agency's plan to lease out unused public space and playgrounds to private developers to build luxury apartments in the middle of Manhattan housing projects. Mr. Thompson called the plan a "wrongheaded move" against the purpose of the NYCHA.

de Blasio's Campaign Contributions "Stinks To High Heaven,” Says Campaign Finance Watchdog

Mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, has been taking donations to pay off 2009 campaign debts from donors who have already exceeded the maximum permissible amount to his current campaign for mayor, the NY Times reports.

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.

Ceceilia Rocks Mayoral Race with Late Night Tweetfeast

Read the Attached 'Storify' of the Late Night Tweetfast with Democratic Mayoral candidate Ceceilia Berkowitz:

Albanese Wants to Redeem New York from Bloomberg Kingdom

Sal Albanese, running for mayor in the Democratic primary, blamed Mayor Bloomberg and his recent budget proposal for the city’s financial shape. “You can't manage a city like a kingdom or its workforce like serfs,” Albanese told Paula Katinas from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 

Bill de Blasio Introduced at Belz Dinner as the "Next Mayor of NYC."

Following his 5 borough tour last week, and his visit to Borough park a day after announcing his candidacy for mayor of New York City, where he spoke about the holocaust and Iran's nuclear threat, Bill de Blasio continued making inroads among voters in the Jewish community of Brooklyn. In a brief appearance at the Yeshiva Machzikei Hadas Belz' annual dinner, the Public Advocate by the chairman of the event as "the next Mayor of NYC." The estimated crowd of 1500 participants enthusiastically applauded his presence. de Blasio was accompanied by his liaison to the Jewish Community, Pinny Ringel.

One of the Belzer community's activists, Mr. Eliezer Igel, echoed a teaching by a passage of the Torah, where Moses was reminded by his father-in-law as he entered a new role of leadership: 'don't forget your own children'. "Don't forget your own communities," the speaker turned to de Blasio,  "which are all standing behind you."

Bill Thompson, Only Mayoral Candidate to Rally Against Brooklyn College’s Anti-Israel Forum

Democratic mayoral candidate, Bill Thompson was the only mayoral candidate who protested alongside Brooklyn’s Jewish leaders Thursday, to stop the Brooklyn College Political Science Department from sponsoring an anti-Israel forum next Thursday. 

 “Those are our taxpayer dollars. We should not be using those dollars to express hate,” Thompson said alongside Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a political heavyweight in the Brooklyn Jewish community. 

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. 

Brooklyn's Russian Kingmaker and Conservative Orthodox Activist Behind Hispanic Pastor for Mayor

Last month a presentation by the unofficial Hispanic Rev. from Brooklyn's mayoral campaign took place for local supporters in the Widdi Catering hall in Brooklyn.

Rev. Erick Salgado, a conservative Democrat, has registered as a Democratic candidate for Mayor of NYC on Dec. 31, 2012, looking to become the first Hispanic Mayor of NYC. While he hasn't officially declared his candidacy yet, Salgado has apparently managed to wrap up support by some in the Russian and the Orthodox Jewish Communities.

Bill Thompson Totally Ready To Burst Out of Boring Brand

Bill Thompson is ready to get rid of his boring status, one that might of costed him the election in 2009, as he lost by a mere margin of 4.6 to Mayor Bloomberg. In an extensive profile of former City Comptroller, Bill Thompson for Politicker, Colin Campbell helped Thompson become creative about overcoming the notion that his candidacy is kind of sleepy or boring to a certian extent.

 

“If I had thrown an expletive in, maybe it would have gotten more attention. But then people would have to bleep it out,” he said while sipping on his coffee. "Then it would be, ‘Bill Thompson, he doesn’t have the temperament to be the mayor of the City of New York!’

Meet NYC 'Social Media' Mayoral Candidate - Ceceilia Berkowitz

No, shes not 22, nor Orthodox or a senator wannabe barbie, but she's friends with Mayor Bloomberg and yes she's a Democrat. Meet the latest mayoral candidate, who launched her campaign by a trizzillion tweets to media outlets and reporters requesting interviews and immediate attention, 'Social Media Journalist' Ceceilia Berkowitz.

Ceceilia, 34 ,resident of Manhattan, originally from North Jersey, is a self described Social media journalist ( "since May2011 when I saw Dr.JillBiden (the Second lady) speak at a Commencement") who is launching her campaign for NYC Mayor on January 31st, "with a good strategy to plan to win the election, and simultaneously improve the politics and functioning of New York."

On her website, she claims she's in the process of "assembling together a diverse and inclusive team of New Yorkers and other interested people." some of them as she unvield on Twitter include: Alex Castillo, Michael O'Brien and Josh Omisore. Ceceilia has also appointed a Jewish Liasion to court the Jewish vote: Baruch Hertzfeld "my Facebook connection to the Orthodox in Brooklyn."

John Catsimatidis Announces Mayoral Run: "We Are Not Going Back."

Surrounded by family members, supporters and City hall reporters on the steps of Cuity Hall, Billionaire John Catsimatidis announced his candidacy for Mayor of New York City. Praising Mayor Bloomberg's 12 years in office, Catsimatidis explained why New Yorkers must elect yet another Republican as mayor over any Democratic opponent. "New Yorkers, we are not going back. We are not giving the streets back to the criminals. We have to maintain the World's confidence in New York," he said. 

Catsimatidis: It's Me or Lhota

In advance of today's presser, John Catsimatidis told Celeste Katz of NY Daily News that he's serious about his run for the city's top office -- and that he's to be taken serious this time. "The city has been very good to me, and I want to make a difference,"' he said

Adopting Carl Paldaino''s promise running for Governor in 2010, Catsimatidis vowed a one term proposition "I'm willing to give four years," he said, adding that "I think it’s only me and Joe Lhota. Nobody else is going to get [considered] seriously." 

Restless Weiner Waves Comeback Trial for Mayor or Comptroller

A reader in Forest Hills, Queens and an Upper West Side Democrat, both notified Liz Benjamin form Capital Tonight about receiving a polling call yesterday afternoon asking if they would be willing to consider scandal-scarred former Rep. Anthony Weiner for either Mayor of NYC or NYC comptroller this fall.

The Queens resident was asked about a possible matchup between Weiner and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer in the race for City Comptroller.

In 5 Borough Swing, Bill de Blasio Adores 'Pavement Pounding Approach'

Bill de Blasio’s path to Gracie Mansion kicked off in a 5 Borough swing, a sixty miles day long journey reaching out to disenfranchised residents in the outer boroughs. 

This 'pavement pounding approach', he told Politicker, will leave voters convinced he is better suited to address the needs of the entire city than his rivals. “If you’re going to change the status quo in this city, it’s going to take a forceful approach,” he told Hunter Walker and Ross Barkan accompanying him on his 1st day of campaigning. “I won’t speak to the details of my opponents, but I think the approach that I take is the one that actually helps to achieve some real change. … Some of my opponents believe in making that change, some don’t. Some are doing something about that, some aren’t. I think that what voters will see in this city that I back up my words with action.”