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Bill De Blasio To Skip First NYC Mayoral Debate

De Blaiso, Frontrunner In Mayor's Race, To Skip Debate
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By 

Reporter, HuffPost

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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 08: Democratic nominee for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to the media following an appearance at 'CityLab: Urban Solutions to Global Challenges,' an event sponsored by The Atlantic, The Aspen Institute, and Bloomberg Philanthropies on October 8, 2013 in New York City. The event, which took place on October 6-8, brought together 300 global city leaders, city planners, scholars, architects, artists and others for a symposium on urban ideas. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Bill de Blasio, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor with a huge lead in opinion polls, is expected to be a no-show at tonight's first debate with candidates from other parties.

There's nothing on de Blasio's public schedule that conflicts with the time slot for Wednesday's 7 p.m. debate. But viewers who tune into NY1 will probably find only Republican Joe Lhota and Independent Party candidate Adolfo Carrion Jr. verbally jousting and presumably taking shots at de Blasio for his absence.

Shortly after winning their respective parties' primaries last month, Lhota challenged de Blasio to a series of five debates with one to be held in each borough.

De Blasio, the city's public advocate, waved off Lhota's proposition and instead settled on a matchup of one debate per week in the final three weeks before election day on Nov. 5. The city's campaign finance law stipulates that candidates must participate in a minimum of two debates to receive public matching funds.

"There will be three general election debates this fall, more than in any New York City mayoral campaign in nearly 30 years," said de Blasio's spokesman Dan Levitan in an email. "There are real differences between the candidates and Bill looks forward to presenting his vision for progressive reform directly to New Yorkers."

The first debate with de Blasio will be held on Oct. 15 and all will take place in Manhattan.

Lhota's campaign has criticized de Blasio, who had a 50-point lead in a Quinnipiac University poll last week, for rejecting a schedule of five debates.

"It is incredibly disappointing that Mr. de Blasio does not appreciate the need to hold debates outside Manhattan when New Yorkers in all five boroughs deserve the chance to learn more about the next mayor," said Lhota's spokeswoman Jessica Proud in a statement last month. "Trumpeting their agreement to a single debate beyond what is required by the campaign finance law as historic is a joke. Their strategy of ducking the press and public since winning the nomination will grow weary on New Yorkers who want to see leadership from their next mayor."

If de Blasio changes his mind, he could still participate tonight.

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Before You Go

NYC Primary Day 2013
Anthony Weiner, Jordan Weiner(01 of26)
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Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner holds his son Jordan as he leaves the voting booth after casting his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Anthony Weiner, Jordan Weiner(02 of26)
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Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner, with his son Jordan, is surrounded by reporters while speaking to an unidentified woman and her child after casting his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Anthony Weiner, Barbara Morgand, Valerie Grant(03 of26)
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Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner's aide Barbara Morgan, right, speaks with Board of Elections coordinator Valerie Grant before Weiner arrives to cast his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Anthony Weiner, Jordan Weiner(04 of26)
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Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner holds his son Jordan as he speaks to reporters after casting his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn, Kim Catullo(05 of26)
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City Council Speaker and New York City Democratic mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, right, embraces her wife, Kim Catullo, after Catullo voted in the primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in New York. Quinn led the polls for most of the year but has seen support disappear as her rivals linked her to the bitter debate to let Mayor Michael Bloomberg run for a third term in 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn, Tim Gunn(06 of26)
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City Council Speaker and New York City Democratic mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, greets supporter Tim Gunn at a campaign stop on primary election day in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. Quinn led the polls for most of the year but has seen support disappear as her rivals linked her to the bitter debate to let Bloomberg run for a third term in 2009. Gunn is the "style czar" for "Project Runway." (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn, Kim Catullo(07 of26)
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City Council Speaker and New York City Democratic mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, center, and her wife, Kim Catullo, right, sign in to vote in the primary election with an unidentified poll worker in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. Quinn led the polls for most of the year but has seen support disappear as her rivals linked her to the bitter debate to let Bloomberg run for a third term in 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Eliot Spitzer(08 of26)
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A board of election worker, right, helps Democratic comptroller hopeful Eliot Spitzer in the voting booth before he cast his vote in the primary election at his polling station in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Eliot Spitzer(09 of26)
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Democratic comptroller hopeful Eliot Spitzer exits the voting booth after casting his vote in the primary election at his polling station in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Scott Stringer(10 of26)
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Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer emerges from a voting booth with his 20-month old son Max after casting his ballot during the primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in New York. Stringer is running against Ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer for city comptroller. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
GOP Mayoral Candidate Joe Lhota Votes In NYC Primary Election(11 of26)
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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota, former CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, votes in the New York City mayoral primary on September 10, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Lhota is running against businessman John Catsimatidis on the Republican side. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
GOP Mayoral Candidate Joe Lhota Votes In NYC Primary Election(12 of26)
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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota, former CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, speaks to the media after voting in the New York City mayoral primary on September 10, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Lhota is running against businessman John Catsimatidis on the Republican side. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Scott Stringer(13 of26)
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Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer leaves a polling station with his 20-month old son Max after casting his ballot during the primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in New York. Stringer is running against Ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer for city comptroller. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
Bill de Blasio, Chirlane McCray(14 of26)
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Mayoral candidateBill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray leave after casting their primary votes on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, at the Park Slope Public Library in the Brooklyn borough of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) (credit:AP)
Bill de Blasio, Chirlane McCray(15 of26)
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Mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, arrive to cast their primary votes, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, at the Park Slope Public Library in the Brooklyn borough of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) (credit:AP)
(16 of26)
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Elsie McCabe Thompson left, stand with her husband, New York City Democratic Mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson, as they get ready to vote in the Democratic primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 in the Harlem section of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
(17 of26)
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New York City Democratic Mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson votes in the Democratic primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 in the Harlem section of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
(18 of26)
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Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner makes his concession speech at Connolly's Pub in midtown Tuesday, September 10, 2013 in New York. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio held a clear lead Tuesday night in New York City's mayoral Democratic primary as polls closed, according to early and incomplete voting returns. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
(19 of26)
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Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner makes his concession speech at Connolly's Pub in midtown Tuesday, September 10, 2013 in New York. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio held a clear lead Tuesday night in New York City's mayoral Democratic primary as polls closed, according to early and incomplete voting returns. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
Bill De Blasio, Chirlane De Blasio(20 of26)
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New York City Democratic Mayoral candidate Bill De Blasio, left, and his wife Chirlane wave to supporters at De Blasio election headquarters after polls closed in the city's primary election Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (credit:AP)
Bill De Blasio(21 of26)
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New York City Democratic Mayoral candidate Bill De Blasio dances on stage after addressing supporters at his election headquarters after polls closed in the city's primary election Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (credit:AP)
Bill De Blasio, Dante De Balsio, Chiara De Blasio, Chirlane De Blasio(22 of26)
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New York City Democratic Mayoral hopeful Bill De Blasio embraces his son Dante, left, daughter Chiara, second from left, and wife Chirlane, right, after addressing supporters at his election headquarters after polls closed in the city's primary election Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (credit:AP)
Bill Thompson(23 of26)
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New York Democratic mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson speaks to his supporters after the polls closed, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 in New York. Thompson and opponent Bill de Blasio are locked in a tight race in the Democratic primary. Thompson is holding up three fingers, indicating that he is hoping for a runoff election to determine the Democratic nominee in three weeks. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn Campaign Holds Primary Election Night Event(24 of26)
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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn speaks next to her wife Kim Catullo (L) during her concession speech in the New York Democratic mayoral primary elections on September 10, 2013 in New York City. Quinn, who lead early in the polls and who was endorsed by all of New York's major newspapers, saw her lead slip away in the final weeks of the campaign. Quinn would have been the first woman and lesbian to hold the job of mayor. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Christine Quinn Campaign Holds Primary Election Night Event(25 of26)
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NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn gives her concession speech in the New York Democratic mayoral primary elections on September 10, 2013 in New York City. Quinn, who lead early in the polls and who was endorsed by all of New York's major newspapers, saw her lead slip away in the final weeks of the campaign. Quinn would have been the first woman and lesbian to hold the job of mayor. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(26 of26)
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Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, at the podium, delivers his concession speech at his election night party after losing the Democratic primary race for New York City comptroller Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013 in New York. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg) (credit:AP)
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