Category Archives: 2017 Comptroller Race

Inauguration 2018



New York City’s three citywide elected officials were sworn in to second terms Monday, with Mayor Bill de Blasio, Public Advocate Letitia James and Comptroller Scott Stringer taking their oaths in front of City Hall on a bitterly cold afternoon.  All three were reelected to a second and final term in November, with term limits precluding 2021 reelection bids.  They’re able to run for each others offices however, with James and Stringer widely seen as contemplating mayoral runs.

Photo Gallery:

Our full photo gallery is available here.

Mayor Bill de Blasio wrapping his family in a hug after taking the oath of office. 1/1/18

Continue reading Inauguration 2018

Republican Candidates Pledge Civil Debates



Republican candidate for public advocate J.C.Polanco and Republican candidate for comptroller Michel Faulkner each pledged that their respective debates this week will be far more civil and controlled than last week’s mayoral debate.  That debate has been widely criticized for its raucous tone.  Speaking just ahead of a Queens County Republican “unity breakfast” Saturday both candidates criticized the mayoral debate and expressed confidence that their debates will be different.  Polanco and Faulkner debate their respective Democratic opponent this week. Continue reading Republican Candidates Pledge Civil Debates

Queens GOP Unity



The Queens Republican Party held a “unity breakfast” Saturday, drawing all three citywide Republican candidates, Nicole Malliotakis, J.C. Polanco and Michel Faulkner, Borough President candidate William Kregler and City Council candidates Joe Concannon, Bob Holden and Konstantinos Poulidis.  The breakfast drew a small audience primarily composed of Queens GOP district leaders.

Continue reading Queens GOP Unity

Dietl For Faulkner



Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl offered a seemingly impromptu endorsement of Republican comptroller candidate Michel Faulkner last night.  Both candidates had just exited a candidate forum at St. John’s University, with Dietl headed off after speaking to a few reporters.  As Faulkner stepped forward to speak with the press Dietl returned and made his statement.

Faulkner did not reciprocate with an endorsement of Dietl’s independent candidacy.  After ending his mayoral campaign and switching to the comptroller’s race Faulkner initially endorsed Paul Massey.  He has not formally endorsed Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis, but he has expressed support for her.  At a joint August 4th press conference Faulkner said that “we all hope and pray [that Malliotakis] will be our next mayor.”

Malliotakis Matching Funds?



Republican mayoral candidate Nicole Malliotakis said that she is closing in on qualifying for matching funds from the Campaign Finance Board, but has not yet met one of the two required thresholds.  According to Malliotakis she has surpassed the requirement of receiving contributions from at least 1,000 City residents, but she has not yet received qualifying contributions of at least $250,000.  (Qualifying contributions are contributions from City residents, but limited to$175 per contributor.)

Qualifying for matching funds is very important for Malliotakis: as of her July 15th filing she had raised $344,000 but an analysis by Politico estimated that she could additionally receive slightly more than $600,000 if she qualifies for matching funds on the contributions reported through July 15th.  (Subsequent contributions would generate additional matching funds.)  The Campaign  Finance Board will make the determination of whether she qualifies based on her filings; the next is due August 11th.

Faulkner faces deep financial challenges in his campaign, as his campaign committee is insolvent.  His campaign is $90,000 in debt (in addition to loans of about $150,000 from Faulkner) after raising just $93,000.  I asked Faulkner about his campaign’s financial condition.

Video:

Here’s what Malliotakis and Faulkner had to say:

Malliomentum



Nicole Malliotakis sought to take back the momentum in the Republican mayoral primary last night as she received the endorsement of her hometown Staten Island Republican Party, hoping to replace Masseymentum with Malliomentum.  Rival candidate Paul Massey had received the endorsement of the Bronx Republican Party the night before, for his second county organization endorsement.  Staten Island’s endorsement of Malliotakis was not a surprise, she’s a well-liked four term elected official, but it was nonetheless a welcome boost for Malliotakis.

A crowd of about 75 people gathered for the Staten Island party’s nominating convention, enthusiastically cheering their nominees.  Incumbent Borough President Jimmy Oddo and incumbent City Council Members Steve Matteo and Joe Borelli were among the nominees, each unanimously selected without any opposing candidates.  Michel Faulkner, who was not present, was endorsed for comptroller, also without opposition.  As reported by the Staten Island Advance’s Rachel Shapiro, (prior to my arrival) the Party endorsed J.C. Polanco for public advocate.

Malliotakis’s acceptance speech was a mix of campaign themes and a hometown address to fellow Staten Islanders.  She turned to a recent campaign theme, describing New Yorkers driven to leave the city as “economic refugees” and “quality of life refugees.”  Malliotakis also touched on familiar criticisms of Mayor de Blasio, saying that he “ties the hands of law enforcement” and ignores the will of City residents in areas such as his plan to build 90 shelters for the homeless and his newly adopted goal of replacing Rikers Island with jails throughout the City.

Malliotakis voiced a central theme of Staten Island politics; that the borough is shortchanged and “we have to fight together twice as much to get half as much.”  She criticized the mayor’s “five borough ferry plan” for excluding Staten Island, and said that the only thing Staten Island does get a fair share of is unwanted traffic cameras.

Malliotakis closed with promise to “bring a message of common sense and sanity” to the City and City Hall.

Video:

Here’s Malliotakis’s full acceptance speech:

Conservative Party Nomination Preview



The Conservative Party is poised to select its mayoral candidate tomorrow.  Here’s a look at what’s likely to happen along with my prediction of the winning candidate.

Continue reading Conservative Party Nomination Preview

Massey & Faulkner Cross Endorse



Republican mayoral candidate Paul Massey and Republican comptroller candidate Michel Faulkner exchanged endorsements today at a City Hall press conference.  Faulkner had been a mayoral candidate competing against Massey, but announced a switch to the comptroller’s race just over a week ago.  Faulkner does not currently face any other Republican comptroller candidates and he and party leaders expect that he will not have a primary.  Massey currently expects to face Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis in a Republican mayoral primary. Continue reading Massey & Faulkner Cross Endorse

Massey Supported Stringer



Scott Stringer’s a nice guy.  That’s how Republican mayoral candidate Paul Massey and Republican comptroller candidate Michel Faulkner replied when I asked them about Paul Massey’s past substantial financial contributions to Faulkner’s expected general election opponent, Democrat and incumbent City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

Continue reading Massey Supported Stringer