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New York Times Endorses Christine Quinn, Joseph Lhota For New York Mayor

Times Weighs In On NYC Mayoral Race
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By 

Senior Editor, The Huffington Post

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The New York Times has endorsed two candidates in New York's 2013 mayoral race: City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for the Democratic primary and former MTA head Joseph Lhota for the Republican primary.

It seems that picking a candidate to endorse from the Democratic field was no easy task for the paper's editorial board. Anonymous sources told Politico on Friday that the board's support was divided between Quinn and Public Advocate Bill De Blasio, "who is more ideologically aligned with the Times."

The board nods to this tension in their endorsement, but ultimately singles out Quinn as the more practical choice. "Ms. Quinn inspires the most confidence," they write, "that she would be the right mayor for the inevitable times when hope and idealism collide with the challenge of getting something done."

While De Blasio's ideas are compelling, the writers of the endorsement argue, he would lack the political support to carry them out:


Mr. de Blasio’s most ambitious plans — like a powerful new state-city partnership to make forever-failing city hospitals financially viable, or to pay for universal prekindergarten and after-school programs through a new tax on the richest New Yorkers — need support in the State Capitol, and look like legislative long shots. Once a Mayor de Blasio saw his boldest ideas smashed on the rocks of Albany, then what?

The New York Daily News also endorsed Quinn earlier this week.

While the editorial board acknowledges that it is ideologically at odds with its Republican pick, its endorsement deems Lhota "the best qualified of the three men seeking the Republican nomination for mayor."

Granted, The Times does not seem overly impressed with its other two choices for a Republican mayor. The editorial board had some disparaging words for candidate George McDonald. "When he called Anthony Weiner a 'self-pleasuring freak' and got to the brink of a shoving match, he inspired audiences to boo him, not Mr. Weiner, which was quite a feat."

The endorsement writers also take the opportunity to poke fun at Lhota's other opponent, John Catsimitidis, wealthy owner of a local grocery chain. "He also promises to make this city of eight million people a cleaner, well-run, thriving place, but we won’t take him seriously until he shows he can do that at Gristedes."

Read the Times' full endorsements here.

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Before You Go

2013 NYC Mayoral Candidates
Bill de Blasio (01 of12)
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Currently the city's Public Advocate, Bill de Blasio announced his bid for mayor in January 2013.He has supported the paid sick leave bill, banning horse-drawn carriages, and has been fiercely critical of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's homeless policies. (credit:Getty Images)
Anthony Weiner(02 of12)
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Former Democratic congressman Anthony Weiner finally announced his bid for mayor in May after months of intense speculation by the media and politicians alike. In 2011, an embarrassing sexting scandal forced Weiner to resign from Congress. The lewd photos, along with his denial and subsequent admission, kept him out of the political spotlight until this spring. (credit:AP)
John Liu(03 of12)
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As the city's current comptroller, John Liu oversees New York City's finances. Despite a federal investigation accusing two former aides to Liu of breaking campaign finance laws, Liu announced his candidacy for mayor in March.In a recent interview, Liu said, "We are all liberal Democrats" and suggested Democratic mayoral hopefuls were all the same, differing on only a few issues such as stop and frisk. If elected, Liu would become the city's first Asian-American mayor. (credit:Getty Images)
Christine Quinn(04 of12)
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Christine Quinn is the current City Council Speaker of New York City. She is said to be Mayor Michael Bloomberg's favorite candidate. (credit:Getty Images)
Bill Thompson(05 of12)
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From 2002-2009, Bill Thompson served as New York City's Comptroller. Thompson, a Democrat, ran for mayor in 2009 against Bloomberg. He was outspent 14 to 1 by Bloomberg, and still only lost by a few percentage points. (credit:Getty Images)
Adolfo Carrion Jr. (06 of12)
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Adolfo Carrion, Jr. was the Bronx Borough President from 2002 to 2009 and was appointed by the Obama administration as the Regional Director for HUD's New York office. He is running for mayor as an independent. (credit:Getty Images)
Erick Salgado(07 of12)
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Staten Island's Rev. Erick Salgado announced his Democratic candidacy for mayor, despite a socially conservative agenda which includes anti-gay marriage, pro-life policies. (credit:Facebook)
Sal Albanese(08 of12)
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Sal Albanese is a former city council member also hoping to win the Democratic primary. He also worked as a New York City public school teacher. This will be his third bid for mayor of New York City. (credit:Facebook/© Callie Lipkin)
Joseph Lhota(09 of12)
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Before launching his GOP candidacy for mayor, Joseph Lhota served as MTA chairman and served as the City’s Budget Director in Mayor Giuliani’s first term, and Deputy Mayor for Operations during the second.In 1999, he fought a public battle against the Brooklyn Museum to remove a portrait of the Virgin Mary containing elephant dung. He lost. (credit:Getty Images)
John Catsimatidis (10 of12)
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John Catsimatidis . a Republican candidate for mayor, is a billionaire supermarket mogul. He is known for his pro-NYPD policies and supports the continuation of the department's controversial stop-and-frisk program. (credit:Getty Images)
George McDonald(11 of12)
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George McDonald is the founder and president of The Doe Fund, a non-profit that seeks to help homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals find work. He has never held public office.He initially identified himself as a Democrat but has since switched to the Republican party. McDonald has received criticism for trying to challenge campaign contribution limits. (credit:Facebook)
Anthony Weiner(12 of12)
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Former Democratic congressman Anthony Weiner finally announced his bid for mayor in May after months of intense speculation by the media and politicians alike. In 2011, an embarrassing sexting scandal forced Weiner to resign from Congress. The lewd photos, along with his denial and subsequent admission, have since dogged his political career, but a recent poll revealed many New Yorkers were willing to forgive and forget, with voters putting him at second only behind frontrunner Christine Quinn. (credit:AP)
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