Anthony Weiner Shakes Up Democratic Primary; Jewish Voters Remain His Largest Base

If Speaker Quinn had any hopes of cruising towards victory in the first round, leaving her rival fight for the second dignified place, Anthony Weiner has put that to rest. According to the latest Marist/NBC poll, Anthony Weiner kicks off his mayoral run with a decent 2nd place showing, a base of 15 percent.

VIDEO: Anthony Weiner Opens Up and "Talks Dugri" on NY1

Anthony Weiner is running for mayor. The "I am thinking about it" as an answer to Errol Louis in an exclusive interview on Inside City Hall, was definite and straightforward. Asked why he should be trusted after lying about his actions, Weiner acknowledged it's a fair game, but stressed:

NYC 2013 Mayoral Candidates #PrayforBoston

Public Safety Will Take An Even More Central Role in Mayor’s Race

Ross Barkan writes: "It is not yet known who orchestrated the bombings. But New York City is in a “heightened state of alert” and the various mayoral candidates have blasted out statements expressing condolences for the victims’ families and reaffirmed their commitments, vaguely, to strong anti-terrorist policies. While terrorism as an issue is always on the minds of voters and the campaigns, it has, 12 years later, taken a backseat in the mayoral race thus far, gaining less attention than paid sick leave or stop-and-frisk, for example.

Lhota ''Looking Forward" To Weiner Joining Mayoral Race

While the Democratic candidates are shivering in their pants (or not) about a possible weiner candidacy for mayor  Republican hopeful Joe lhota urged Anthony Weiner to jump into the race for mayor, Erin Durkin and David Seifman report.

"Anthony’s been a friend for a long time," Mr. Lhota said at a press conference on the steps of City Hall. "I’m looking forward to engaging him in a vibrant debate about the issues. I think he raises the level of the debate all way round and I urge him to enter the race."  

Bill de Blasio Has A 2nd Place Problem

As the presumed labor candidate in this year's mayoral race, Bill de Blasio has a labor problem. He has yet to receive a single union endorsements, writes Sally Goldenberg in the Post. 

The Jewish Vote 2013 #2 - The Bill's Lead As Equal Favorites In the Orthodox Jewish Community

This year's mayoral race may be a crossroads in terms of how the Jewish community, the orthodox community in particular votes, based on a few dozen interviews of community operatives - from the rank and file to the ordinary voter in the community - who participated in our NYC Elects inquiry.

While we are still awaiting the highly anticipated decision by Anthony Weiner, whether to jump into the mayoral race or indulge in a more boring but winnable race for comptroller against Scott Stringer, a manhattan Jew without the outer borough experience, people are already making up their minds of who to back for mayor. Again, in the event that Weiner doesn't run for mayor since the field of candidates doesn't include a prominent Jewish figure, Orthodox Jewish voters are inclined to look for the guy that they trust would best serve, or preserve, the Jewish community's interests.

John Liu On Fundraising Investigation: Time To Move On

Speaking before a packed room at a candidates forum in the 44th AD at the Independent Democratic club, City Comptroller John Liu addressed his fundraising investigation, on the eve of the trail of his two aides starting tomorrow:

Republican Mayoral Candidates Address The Brooklyn Conservative Party Annual Brunch in Bay Ridge

Joe Lhota addressing Brooklyn Conservatives  

 John Catsimatidis touts electability addressing the Brooklyn Conservative Party brunch

Reagan's Son Orders NYC GOP To Embrace Carrion''s Candidacy for Mayor

"It sounds like a mismatch: An illustrious Republican president’s son supporting a Democrat-turned-independent, ex-Obama administration official in his quest to run for New York City mayor on the GOP line," writes The Washington Post. But conservative commentator Michael Reagan is urging city Republican leaders to give Adolfo Carrion Jr. permission to run in the primary, saying it would strike a note of openness and diversity for a party that’s grappling with how to attract Hispanic voters.