Why Can't Democrats win the NYC Mayor's race? (poll)

[WI_DEM]

Mayor Bloomberg has a 60% approval rating and leads all his Democratic rivals by 15-points or more according to this poll.

beats Ferrer 52-36
beats Fields 55-29
beats Miller 55-30
beats Weiner by 55-28

Why in such a huge Democratic City can't the Democrats seem to win the mayors race. I think the last Dem mayor (Dinkens?) was in for only a single term. But then why can't the Dems win the Massachusetts governorship either (though they might next time).

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x16184.xml

[AverageJoe]

1. Rigged polls?

Votes counted by repigs?

Other than these things, I haven't a clue.

[WI_DEM]

of course the polls can be a problem

but NYC has often had a Republican Mayor even though it is one of the most Democratic of cities. Is it that voters feel that they need a check and balances?

[drfunk]

3. too many?

maybe if there werent so many bloody democrats running they'd have a chance. 1 dem vs 1 repuke would be better odds.

[KingFlorez]

2. Reason: Moderate Repukes

That can get people to like them. Even the most hardcore Dem will vote for Moderate Republicans like this.

[LaPera]

8. Same reason why Democrats can't get a democrat elected Guv. of CA

The most liberal state in the country can't keep a democrat as governor.

The republicans find & shame the democrats over some issue, any issue will di, and then keep pounding away at it night and day, week after week, moth after month...

The less politically astute and moderate voters who have no strong ideology of their own, believe it as truth....And then vote republican.

Look what Enron did to California, WITH the White House's blessing and help...Who did they pound day after day? Gray Davis.

But, Davis' hands were tied, Bush absolutely refused to put a put a cap on what his buddies at Enron could and were overcharging California for energy. (See The Enron movie, still in some theaters).

Who got the blame a democrat and now look, a republican is Guv of California...for two more term I might add.

Eight years of R- Reagan R- Dukmajuan R- Wilson R- Musclehead

[woldnewton]

21. Reason: "Moderate" DEMS!!!

That always like to find a Dem they can consider more "radical" or "militant" so they can feel smug and superior in how they manage not to become "too extreme"; then they'll vote for a shmuck like Bloomberg to stick it to the "extremists"...

[Cha]

4. I'm wondering why bloomberg's

polls are so high when he's a repuke tool and New Yorkers voted overwhelmingly against bush.

And the latest..getting their bags randomly searched in the subways.

The election is this year is it not?

[reformedrepub]

28. Bloomberg

Because he isnt a Repuke. He was a Dem until he realized the Dem field was too crowded. New York Republicans, at least the ones from downstate, are more liberal than red state Dems. Giuliani lived with a gay man and his partner after he moved out of Gracie Mansion. Even our useless Gov. Pataki is pro-gay, pro-choice and pro gun control.

[Cha]

35. I know bloomberg Was a Dem but

he's got an r after his name now and I've seen too many slimey r things he's done.

Welcome to DU reformedrepub!!

[StevieM]

5. I think it is more about the particular Republicans that they put up....

Guiliani seemed like a welcome change in 93, someone to shake things up. His first term was pretty good, and he got re-elected. His second term was a disaster and he was extremely unpopular until 9/11. Clinton was killing him amongst NYC voters until he dropped out of the race. He was not seen as a mayor who could win re-election if he was allowed to run for a third term.

Bloomberg won because Green was devastated by a divisive Democratic primary. And Guiliani had coattails after 9-11. He's popular today because he's a decent guy who seems extremely reasonable and moderate after 8 years of Guiliani. He's certainly not a bully or tyrant like Guiliani was.

The GOP might keep the mayorship in 09 is they nominate William Weld--he has a certain appeal. But if they nominate Susan Molinary I bet we kick her sorry butt.

Steve

[dolstein]

6. Because the Democrats are a bunch of hacks, that's why

And I say that as a New York City Democrat.

The sad fact is that to get the Democratic nomination, you have to get the support of a lot of Democratic activists and organizations who get really pissed off if you say ANYTHING they find the least bit upsetting. Hell, Ferrer is STILL apologizing for things he said months ago. It's hard for ANY candidate to emerge from that process with their dignity intact. And given the racial make-up of the Democratic electorate, it's almost unavoidable that one group is going to be pissed off regardless of who gets nominated.

The Republians, on the other hand, have nominated people like Giuliani, who was a very successful and high profile U.S. attorney, and Mike Bloomberg, who was a very successful billionaire businessman. Like them or not, they are big league guys for a big league job. The Democrats seem small by comparison.

And because the Republican organization in New York City is pretty weak, both Giuliani and Bloomberg have been able to take positions on issues like abortion and gay rights that are at odds with Republican orthodoxy.

I voted for Giuliani in 1997 (on the Liberal Party line). Giuliani was a take charge kind of guy who was going to get things done, even if it meant ruffling a few feathers. And let's not forget -- Giuliani actually endorsed Cuomo in 1994, which took some guts. I can't even remember who his opponent was in the '97 race. I voted for Mark Green in 2001 (after what happened in 2000, I swore I'd never vote for a Republican again) but wasn't especially happy about it.

Another big reason why Republicans get elected mayor is because of the City Council. The City Council is still dominated by Democrats. I think a lot of voters are probably reluctant to give Democrats free reign, so they elect a Republican mayor to keep them in line.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. I don't get it either. Everyone I know hates Bloomberg.

[dolstein]

10. "Everyone I know voted for McGovern"

Remember the story about the person who couldn't figure out how Nixon was re-elected, when everyone they knew voted for McGovern? Guess what -- it's still relevant.

Has it never occurred to you that the people you choose to associate with may not be a representative group?

I'm not going to vote for Bloomberg, because after what happened in 2000, I swore I'd never vote for a Republican again, no matter how liberal they were. But I think the city's probably better off with him as mayor than any of the Democrats. It's too bad Bob Kerrey didn't get into the race, he'd have made things interesting.

[LaPera]

12. Good point. I have a friend who worked in a organic produce store...

(He's now a high school teacher) My friend & I spoke politics all the time, and one day about two weeks before the election...He came up to me in his store and said with a big smile on his face...

"Shit, Man, Looks like Mondale is going to kick Reagan's ass!'

I looked at him and my mouth fell open, and I said, dude, you really get outta of this store and all it's customers and spend some time in the real world. No fucking way is Mondale going to win, I said, He looked at me disbelieving, but knew me well enough to know he must be out of touch when I told him there was absolute no way Mondale was going to win:wow:

Reagan of course went on to win every state except Mass, DC and I can't recall if Mondale even won his home state of Minn.

[Bucky]

13. Actually, Reagan won Massachusetts, too.

But Mondale took Minnesota in a squeaker.

[woldnewton]

23. Funny, they've seemed to forget they hate him all of a sudden...

the media shills, including that douchebag Andrew Kurtzman, keep presenting him as some sort of likeable guy. It's sickening.

[dsc]

9. Sadly race played a big role in Guilani's win

Dinkens barely won in 89 and then after Crown Heights lost his Jewish support. Guiliani was very lucky to be mayor under Bill Clinton under whom big cities did really, really well. Thus in 97 he got easily reelected. Bloomberg basicly bought the mayorality. As an unintended consequence of campaign finance laws Green was literally priced out of the market by Bloomberg who spend upwards of $60 million of his own money. Honestly, I don't know enough to know why his approval rating is so high, I figured the Olympics not coming to NYC would hurt him.

[dolstein]

11. It's not as simple as that

The Democrats have lost four straight mayoral races in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by around 10 to 1.

Yes, Bloomberg spend a ton of money, but that wouldn't have mattered if Mark Green weren't such an unappealing candidate and the Democratic Party apparatus weren't so disfunctional. Actually, to say there's a Democratic Party apparatus in NYC would be exaggerrating. It's more like Afghanistan, where you have a bunch of warlords. You've got the health care workers unions, you got professional activists like Al Sharpton, you've got high powered money guys like Harvey Weinstein. What you don't have is a team. Everybody seems to be pushing their own agenda and it's virtually impossible for anyone to get through the nominating process with their dignity intact and a unified party behind them.

[dsc]

16. Green hardly helped himself

but when you have no ads on and your opponent has wall to wall ads, you are going to lose if you are Jesus Christ. I would hate to see them end publicly funded campaigns but allowing Bloomberg to just buy the office wasn't good either. Thank God he at least isn't a New York version of Helms.

[dolstein]

18. But Green was a lousy candidate to begin with

The fact that he was the best the NYC Dems could come up with speaks volumes. Green had lost a series of races before he managed to get elected as public advocate, a position that has almost zero real power in the NYC government.

While Ed Kock has turned into a bitter crank in his old age, back when he was mayor, he actually had some character. The Democrats running for mayor don't have any character.

I wish Chuck Schumer or Charlie Rangel would run for mayor. It's not as if they're getting anything accomplished in Washington. Unlike the current crop, they've got some statute.

[dsc]

24. Would you give up the chance to be Chair of Ways and Means

to be Mayor of NY? Admittedly it is a longshot, but after how many ever decades Rangel has been there he isn't going to quit now. Schumer could be interesting but a few Senate seats going our way and he could be Chair of something (I have no clue what but he must have the senority to be chair of something by now).

[dolstein]

27. Rangel has a better change of being mayor than of chairing Ways and Means

Sorry, but Rangel won't live long enough to see the Democrats regain control of the House.

[dsc]

34. He is only 70 and that is the new 60.

Maybe he will last to the big 100. In any case, I actually think we might have a shot at the House if Bush really implodes. We are comming up on the 6 year itch election.

[Yupster]

33. Rangel would be a great mayor

After so many years in the House, you'd think he'd want to come home.

And mayor of NY seems like it would be a much more fun job than minority member of the House.

[Nite Owl]

14. Infighting

the dems spend the primaries tearing each other apart, the repuke comes out looking better.

[annabanana]

15. DLC

timid go along get along dems..

[dolstein]

17. Blaming the DLC for Democratic woes in New York City

is a bit like blaming the Red Sox for the Yankees' woes.

With the possible exception of Seattle and San Francisco, it's hard to think of another place in America where the DLC has less influence over the interal operations of the Democratic Party.

And need I point out that if the Democrats in New York City actually nominated a DLC type instead of someone who was deeply indebted to the municipal unions and activists like Al Sharpton, that person would win handily?

[woldnewton]

22. I agree... it's more like...

the DLC *types* in New York. Not actually DLC, but their equivalents in the area.

[dolstein]

26. You've got to be kidding

It's not the fault of DLC *types* either. Gimme a break! The Democratic nominating process is dominated by left-wing types -- municipal unions, community activites -- all people who just want the city government to raise taxes and spend money on their own pet projects. The DLC has absolutely nothing to do with this process, and that's probably one reason why the process is so dysfunctional.

I wouldn't describe ANY of the current candidates as a DLC *type*. And that's the problem. A DLC type could never survive the nominating contest, only people who are entirely beholden to left-wing interests groups. Perhaps that's why Bloomberg, a lifetime Democrat, decided to run as a Republican -- and WON.

[Catrina]

19. I don't believe those polls

unless it's that people don't know anything about the other candidates. Everyone I know from NYC hates Bloomberg. Besides, wasn't he a Democrat and just switched right before the election, which came right after 9/11?

[snowbear]

20. Hey... NY will have a Democratic Governor next year..

Everyone knows that..

I heard Bloomberg went up a lot in the polls as he tried for the NY 2012 Olympic bid.

He's so creepy to listen to (weasley voice) that I don't know how NY'ers stand him!!

ACK x(

But you get Governor Spitzer soon!!! :bounce:

[reformedrepub]

29. Governor Spitzer

We are all working real hard for Governor Spitzer!!

[NoSheep]

25. I'd suspect the "I've Got Mine" syndrome.

:kick:

[Idioteque]

30. Look at Bloomberg's political donations.

From Newsmeat

Bloomberg is a Democrat with an R next to his name.

[dolstein]

31. He hasn't contributed to a Democrat since 2000

So that makes him a Republican with an R next to his name.

[DrFunkenstein]

32. In Bed With Too Many Other Local Pols

And Republicans in NYC are Democrats in other states.

[snippy]

36. Democrats who could win the general can not win the primary.

That is why Bloomberg switched. Democratic primary voters are very different from general election voters.

[theboss]

37. Bloomberg is basically a Dem

My problem with Bloomberg is not that he's a Republican. Hell, I'm more conservative than he is.

My problem with him is that he is a bad mayor.

[DaveinMD]

38. Bloomberg's views

are very moderate and the Dem field is very weak. People like Bloomberg. He was a Dem all his life, until he figured he couldn't win the Dem Primary because of the crowded field.

[liberaliraqvet26]

39. My very liberal dad in NYC is part of Bloomberg's...

administration. He has been a union activist and involved in the party all his life and is very loyal to Bloomberg. He is very smart, he walked away from a crowded dem field to easily win on the Repub ticket. If I was still in NYC I too would vote for Bloomberg. He is very liberal on social issues as well as education spending. Guliani now thats a different story.

Besides Spitzer is going to be a GREAT governor. I am moving back in a few years and will be proud to have a real governor after 6 years of jebbie in fla.