The Democratic race for Public Advocate came to a close Monday night as the two remaining candidates attended their last joint forum. Letitia James and Daniel Squadron addressed the Bayswater Civic Association, in the Bayswater section of Rockaway. They spoke separately, crossing paths briefly. Squadron arrived toward the end of James’ presentation, sitting quietly in the audience. As James left, they exchanged smiles and a quick wave.
We spoke separately with each, asking the same two questions: First, your thoughts as you close out the last night of a long campaign? Second, your thoughts on the ugly turn in the race? Here’s what they had to say.
We began our coverage of the Public Advocate’s race at the first candidate forum, held in Astoria in February, available here. We have lots of coverage since then, available here.
The two remaining Democratic Public Advocate candidates, Letitia James and Daniel Squadron, met in a televised debate last night. With a week to go until Tuesday’s runoff election, the candidates had a sharp, often personally contentious, meeting. The full debate, hosted by NY1 and moderated by Errol Louis and Brian Lehrer, is available here.
That tone continued in their post-debate comments to the press. Both candidates attacked the perceived faults of the other, with closeness to Mayor Bloomberg a featured item. (In March we asked the candidates for their view of Mayor Bloomberg and his tenure. Both praised some of his specific accomplishments, but varied in how harshly they assessed his overall record. You can watch those interviews here.) I asked both candidates whether they have asked the current Public Advocate, and Democratic mayoral candidate, Bill de Blasio for his endorsement. Their answers? “I haven’t” and “good night everybody.”
Here are the full post-debate Q&As with each candidate.
The four leading Democratic candidates for Public Advocate speak highly of the current Public Advocate, Bill de Blasio. None have endorsed him for mayor, however, with only one of the four candidates publicly supporting any mayoral candidate. (Cathy Guerriero supports Bill Thompson.) After their televised debate yesterday, we asked all four candidates why.
In what is likely the only televised Public Advocate primary debate, five Democratic candidates jousted on-air last week. (Video of the full debate is available here from NY1.) The race remains both close and out of the public eye, with the most recent public poll (from NBC 4 NY/WSJ/Marist) reporting that 49% of “likely” Democratic primary voters are undecided. Of the likely voters who have a preferred candidate, it’s 16% for Tish James, 12% for Cathy Guerriero, 12% for Daniel Squadron, 3% for Reshma Saujani and 2% for Sidique Wai.
Last night, the Brooklyn Young Democrats hosted a candidate forum in the little-noticed race for New York City Public Advocate. The forum featured four Democratic candidates; Council Member Letitia James, former Deputy Public Advocate Reshma Saujani, State Senator Daniel Squadron and Cathy Guerriero, and was moderated by Colin Campbell, senior editor of The New York Observer and kingpin of Politicker.com.
The forum was held at a bar in Downtown Brooklyn – our apologies for the poor lighting.
For more background on the role and structure of the office of Public Advocate, watch our interview with the current Public Advocate, Bill de Blasio.
You can watch some of our earlier coverage of the Public Advocate race here, here and here.
We asked State Senator Daniel Squadron, a candidate for Public Advocate, whether he will endorse a mayoral candidate and whether he thinks the mayoral race is focused on the right issues. Watch what he had to say.
Be sure to also watch our coverage of Squadron’s endorsement rally here.
Shi Ge Jing, known to some as State Senator Daniel Squadron, was endorsed by a group of Chinese-American community leaders. Watch Shi Ge Jing in action.
Update: We spoke with Senator Squadron about the mayoral race. Watch it here.
Here’s your chance to meet the four Democratic candidates for Public Advocate. We spoke with them at a candidate forum hosted by the Community Free Democrats, an Upper West Side political club.
Here is our report.
Be sure to watch our prior coverage of the race, including a report from an earlier candidate forum and a lighthearted look at one moment of the Community Free Democrats’ forum, as well as a first look at the Republican race.
The Community Free Democrats, an Upper West Side political club, hosted a candidate forum for the four Democratic candidates for Public Advocate. Here’s what happened when an unwanted visitor arrived.
Updated: Our report on the rest of the forum will be is posted herelater today.
In other words, the 2013 race for Public Advocate is underway. This week featured the first candidate forum including all five Democratic candidates, and we spoke with each of them. Here is your first chance to meet all five candidates.
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