By COLlive news staff
There is something odd about the current mayoral election in New York City. Like in most races, there are two main candidates from two major parties, but the gap between them is wide as an Atlantic Avenue pothole.
The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows Democrat Bill de Blasio holding a commanding lead of 65% to 26% over Republican Joe Lhota.
And it’s not like Lhota is a newbie to this. The former chairman of the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) was also a deputy mayor under Rudolph Giuliani.
The New York Times stated that Lhota is “armed with a rare command of City Hall’s operations” and that his role in overseeing the response to the 9/11 attacks “remains a potentially potent credential, unmatched by anything on his rival’s resume.”
So why the disconnect, COLlive asked Lhota in an interview in a private home in Crown Heights on Friday morning with less than a week remaining to the election.
“This gap was created during the primary process,” he explains. “There was a huge primary on the Democratic side and if you look at the papers, it was all about Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat. Very little on the Republican side.
“The gap was opened because so much time and effort was spent in print and on the internet about the Democratic race,” he says about the rocky competition between de Blasio, former City Comptroller Bill Thompson, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and others.
Another reason, Lhota says is “many people believing (that) whoever wins the Democratic primary is the de facto mayor. I don’t believe that. We had 20 years of Republican or Independent mayors and I think New Yorkers go with their independent streak.”
He agrees “there’s a real disconnect” between his candidacy and the voters. “If you look at the issues like crime, the question of stop, question and frisk, charter schools (etc.), the majority agree with me.”
“I think election day will be a very long night,” Lhota says. “I think (that) as the results come in, it will be much closer than people believe and I’m optimistic going into Tuesday night.”
In the interview, he spoke about simplifying regulations on small businesses, a “cure period” needed in the grading of the restaurants, affordable housing, keeping Ray Kelly as Police Commissioner, de Blasio’s connection in the 1991 riots and Metzitza b’peh.
We also asked him if he was aware why there were so many rabbis in Brooklyn this weekend. He replied with an interesting title to the Crown Heights neighborhood.
(COLlive has also invited the de Blasio campaign to interview their candidate).
VIDEO: Full interview with Joe Lhota
Joe Lhota is our man.
I lived the Dinkins days, G-d save us!!!!!
The race most important to Crown Heights is the Brooklyn DA race. Vote Ken Thompson and lets ride the evil Charles Hynes out of town.
Showing up to vote is extremely important even if you think all the races will be blowouts.
I will do the next best thing Tuesday and not vote. Williamsburg and Borough Park are voting for DeBlasio. Interesting that money takes over morals.
BS”D to # 2 it s gonna be much much closer than the newspapers report don’t waste a vote on a 3rd party candidate plus any good showing by the Jewish vote helps the winner respect us that much more
Okay. Where are you going to go when he wins? China? There is more non-Jews throughout the 5 boroughs than Jews.
Go yudi c
GO JOE GO >>>> MAYOR JOE LHOTA
BS”D
if he doesn’t win run for the hills
I don’t believe it will be close therefore I am going to vote for 3rd party candidate Eric Sladago.
chabad needs to stand up for what’s right.
not that this guy has a great voting record… but as far as torah values (abortion) and american values (freedom, taxes) any republican is better than a democrat.