Mayoral candidate Bo Dietl, running on a self-created ballot line, called on Republican/Conservative mayoral nominee Nicole Malliotakis to withdraw from the race. Dietl issued a press release and spoke at a candidate forum last night urging his rival to end her candidacy. We spoke at length with Dietl after the forum; video excerpts of our conversation are below.
Malliotakis’ withdrawal would significantly help Dietl, but it’s extremely unlikely to happen. Dietl and Malliotakis each dramatically trail Mayor Bill de Blasio in public polls, with both of them barely into double digit support. Either ending their candidacy would help the other, but there’s little incentive for Malliotakis to do so.
Dietl mostly offered that he’s better able to defeat de Blasio as his main argument for Malliotakis to withdraw. He gave a brief policy-based argument, saying that Malliotakis opposed a minimum wage increase, opposed same-sex marriage and opposed MTA funding and is therefor out of synch with the majority of New York voters. He also criticized her participation in the City’s campaign matching funds program. Finally, Dietl had harsh criticism of New York State Republican Chairman Ed Cox.
Video:
Here’s an edited version of our exchange. We spoke just after Dietl’s appearance at a Bay Terrace candidate forum.