Housing
Bill de Blasio Feels Your Pain
The secret to the Democratic mayoral frontrunner's success is all about the current emotional state of New Yorkers.
By the time the polls closed in New York City on primary night, the results seemed inevitable. Bill de Blasio, widely perceived as the most progressive candidate in the race for the Democratic nomination for mayor, was the winner by a big margin – perhaps one big enough to avoid a runoff – although thousands of absentee ballots remain to be counted.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who became the unwilling symbol of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s status quo, finished a dismal third, with just over 15 percent. Perennial also-ran Bill Thompson, playing the role of "not too hot and not too cold," came away with 26 percent and promised to fight on.