The mayor’s race is not the only citywide seat up for grabs on November 3.
Both the City Comptroller and the Public Advocate posts will have new faces as incumbents Bill Thompson and Betsy Gotbaum are not seeking reelection this year. But, those positions are likely to remain in control of the Democrats as both Democratic nominees, Queens Councilmember John Liu and Brooklyn Councilmember Bill de Blasio, are heavy favorites in their respective races against little-known Republican candidates.
“There’s a six to one Democratic advantage in registration, and it takes someone like Bloomberg with his vast war chest to overcome that Democratic advantage,” said Michael Krasner, an associate professor of political science at Queens College.
In the Comptroller’s race, Liu, who survived a Democratic Primary and eventual runoff with Brooklyn Councilmember David Yassky, will face Republican candidate Joseph Mendola and three other candidates running on other party lines. Liu’s camp said he plans to spend the remaining days campaigning along with his fellow Democratic nominees in other races – greeting commuters at subway and bus stops and attending rallies to promote voter turnout.
Mendola, who is the chief compliance officer for Magna Securities, has only raised about $21,000, but he still believes his campaign can win Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island and come out victorious.
“It’s pretty much 24/7 from now until the end,” Mendola said. “We’re going to be pretty much everywhere.”
Meanwhile, in the Public Advocate’s Race, de Blasio rode a wave of momentum during the last few weeks of the September Democratic primary and handily defeated former Public Advocate Mark Green in a runoff on September 29.
In the general election, de Blasio is heavily favored against Republican Alex Zablocki, a staffer for Staten Island State Senator Andrew Lanza. Although Zablocki also remains confident and is campaigning throughout the city during the next week, Krasner said the Republicans will be out of luck.
“There really is no possibility [of the Republicans winning] without divine intervention,” Krasner said.
