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De Blasio Quits Presidential Race; Trump Gloats De Blasio Quits Presidential Race; Trump Gloats
(32 minutes later)
Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City who entered the Democratic presidential race on the premise that his brand of urban progressive leadership could appeal on a national scale, said on Friday that he was ending his candidacy. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who entered the Democratic presidential race on the premise that his brand of liberal urban leadership in New York City could appeal on a national scale, said on Friday that he was ending his candidacy.
Mr. de Blasio’s announcement came as it became clear he was unlikely to qualify for the fourth Democratic debate next month, cementing the notion that he lacked the support and funds to sustain his bid. Mr. de Blasio had hoped to seize the progressive energy rippling through the Democratic Party, using his accomplishments in New York — including the introduction of universal prekindergarten and paid sick leave and raising the minimum wage — to make his case.
“I feel like I’ve contributed all I can to this primary campaign, and it’s clearly not my time,” he said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I’m going to end my presidential campaign, continue my work as mayor of New York City, and I’m going to keep speaking up for working people.” But he remained in the bottom tier among nearly two dozen candidates, unable to match the popularity of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the prime architects of his party’s leftward shift.
Mr. de Blasio focused his campaign on trying to improve the lives of those working people, proposing a “workers’ Bill of Rights” to guarantee Americans paid time off and medical leave, and vowing to “tax the hell” out of the wealthy to pay for it. Mr. de Blasio said on Friday that he was satisfied that his message seemed to resonate with people he met on the campaign trail. But his continued candidacy, in the face of dismal poll and fund-raising numbers, drew criticism from many circles, especially in New York.
He tried to position himself as the most suitable Democrat to take on President Trump, given his familiarity with Mr. Trump as a real estate magnate in New York. Mr. de Blasio branded the president “Con Don,” and highlighted how he had already fought the Trump administration on everything from climate change to immigration. “I feel like I’ve contributed all I can to this primary campaign, and it’s clearly not my time,” he said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program. “I’m going to end my presidential campaign, continue my work as mayor of New York City, and I’m going to keep speaking up for working people.”
Mr. de Blasio had focused his run on trying to improve the lives of those people, proposing a “workers’ Bill of Rights” to guarantee Americans paid time off and medical leave, and vowing to “tax the hell” out of wealthy people to pay for his plan.
He tried to position himself as the most suitable Democrat to take on President Trump, given his familiarity with Mr. Trump as a New York real estate magnate. Mr. de Blasio branded the president “Con Don,” and highlighted how he had already fought the Trump administration on issues like climate change and immigration.
None of it worked.None of it worked.
Mr. de Blasio’s campaign was seen as a quixotic, 100-to-1 shot from its inception and it never gained traction, not even in New York. Fliers appeared at Mr. de Blasio’s gym in Park Slope, Brooklyn, urging him not to run (and to wipe the gym equipment after he finished using it). Mr. de Blasio’s campaign, seen as a quixotic, 100-to-1 shot from its inception, never gained traction, not even in New York. Fliers appeared at the gym in Park Slope, Brooklyn where he works out, urging him not to run (and to wipe down the equipment after he finished using it).
A recent poll by Siena College of registered New York State Democrats found that less than 1 percent favored the mayor as the Democratic nominee. A recent poll of registered New York State Democrats by Siena College found that fewer than 1 percent favored the mayor as the Democratic nominee.
Mr. Trump greeted the news with sarcasm, characterizing Mr. de Blasio’s withdrawal as “really big political news, perhaps the biggest story in years!”Mr. Trump greeted the news with sarcasm, characterizing Mr. de Blasio’s withdrawal as “really big political news, perhaps the biggest story in years!”
“NYC is devastated," Mr. Trump wrote. “He’s coming home!” “NYC is devastated," the president wrote on Twitter. “He’s coming home!”
Mr. de Blasio had reported raising only $1.1 million during his first campaign finance filing, and much of that money came from the sole city union supporting him, which, like some other of Mr. de Blasio’s donors, had or could have business before the city. At a news conference in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump continued to needle Mr. de Blasio, calling him a “part-time mayor” who could now “work a little bit harder.”
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., a city with the population of a few square blocks in Manhattan, raised twice as much money from New York City residents as Mr. de Blasio raised nationally during one fund-raising period. “He dropped out of the presidential race a little while ago,” Mr. Trump told reporters. “Too bad, he had tremendous potential. He only had one real asset. You know what it was? Height. Other than that, he had nothing going.”
Even as better funded candidates such as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York dropped out of the race, concluding that it is “important to know when it’s not your time,” Mr. de Blasio held on and argued that one viral moment on social media could boost his campaign. Mr. de Blasio’s initial campaign finance filing showed that he had raised only $1.1 million, with much of the money coming from the sole city union supporting him. The union — like some of Mr. de Blasio’s other donors — had, or could in the future have, business before the city.
“People go from unheard-of to totally famous in 72 hours in America now,” Mr. de Blasio said at a news conference in September, when he first acknowledged that an end to his candidacy was potentially in sight. In one fund-raising period, another Democratic presidential hopeful, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.raised twice as much money from New York City residents as Mr. de Blasio raised nationally.
Mr. de Blasio did have social media moments, just not ones that worked in his favor. Thanks to a technical glitch, his voice sounded like he was channeling “Alvin and the Chipmunks” during an August video call to an Iowa labor conference. Even as better-financed rivals like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York dropped out of the race after concluding that it was “important to know when it’s not your time,” Mr. de Blasio held on and argued that one viral moment on social media could give his campaign a lift.
Combative interviews with Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson on Fox News did not increase his standings in the polls or his ability to raise money. Protesters, upset that Mr. de Blasio had refused to fire the police officer who placed Eric Garner in a chokehold before he died, interrupted both a national debate and a CNN town hall in which the mayor participated. “People go from unheard-of to totally famous in 72 hours in America now,” Mr. de Blasio said at a news conference in September, when he first acknowledged that the end of his candidacy might be in sight.
“This is what democracy looks like and no one said it was pretty,” Mr. de Blasio responded on Twitter to the protesters who disrupted the second Democratic debate in July. But it soon became apparent to the mayor that he would not qualify for the fourth Democratic debate next month after failing to qualify for the previous debate, in September.
Even Mr. de Blasio’s successes on the campaign trail were marred by mishaps. After being praised for his performance in the first debate in Miami, Mr. de Blasio quoted Che Guevara, the Cuban revolutionary, during a union protest the next day, angering the local anti-Fidel Castro Cuban community. “As we went over the last few weeks, every day that passed, it got tougher,” Mr. de Blasio said at a news conference outside Gracie Mansion on Friday, standing next to his wife, Chirlane McCray. “There wasn’t more progress. We were watching the polling to see if anything was moving. It just wasn’t moving.”
New Yorkers repeatedly questioned whether Mr. de Blasio should travel from rural Iowa to the Nevada desert to address a handful of listeners about the travails of working people when there were serious problems to address in the largest city in the country such as rising homelessness and a public housing crisis. Combative interviews with the Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson did not increase his standings in the polls or his ability to raise money. Protesters, upset that Mr. de Blasio had refused to fire the police officer who placed Eric Garner in a chokehold before he died, interrupted both a national debate and a CNN town hall where the mayor was a participant.
The mayor’s whereabouts became an issue in July when a 13,000-volt cable fire caused 72,000 New Yorkers to lose power in Manhattan. Mr. de Blasio was delivering a stump speech at a union hall in Waterloo, Iowa, but fretted about returning to the city. “This is what democracy looks like and no one said it was pretty,” the mayor wrote on Twitter in response to the protest in July at the second Democratic debate.
He gave an update live on CNN, allowing space for Corey Johnson, the City Council speaker who is angling to be the next occupant of Gracie Mansion, to provide New Yorkers with constant and precise updates via social media. The mayor was unable to return to New York until the next day, hours after the power had already been restored. Even Mr. de Blasio’s successes on the campaign trail were marred by mishaps. After being praised for his performance at the first debate, in Miami, Mr. de Blasio quoted the Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara, during a union protest the next day, angering members of the local anti-Castro Cuban community.
“New Yorkers want their mayor to be a national figure, but they want him to do it from the steps of City Hall because they want the garbage picked up,” said Sid Davidoff, a supporter of Mr. de Blasio’s who was the deputy campaign manager for John V. Lindsay, the last person to run for president while still mayor of New York City. New Yorkers repeatedly questioned whether Mr. de Blasio should travel from rural Iowa to the Nevada desert to address small groups about the travails of working people when the largest city in the United States was facing serious problems like rising homelessness and a public housing crisis.
Peter Ragone, a former top aide and now an informal adviser to Mr. de Blasio, said the mayor’s presidential campaign had not been in vain. The mayor’s whereabouts became an issue in July, when a 13,000-volt cable fire caused 72,000 New Yorkers to lose power in Manhattan. At the time, Mr. de Blasio was delivering a stump speech at a union hall in Waterloo, Iowa, and fretted about returning to the city.
“It has helped New York be seen as a progressive leader in the country,” Mr. Ragone said. “Many of the issues and solutions that are driving the Democratic Party primary have already been test-driven in New York.” He offered a live update on CNN, and allowed Corey Johnson, the City Council speaker and a would-be successor to Mr. de Blasio, to provide New Yorkers with constant and precise updates via social media. The mayor was unable to return to New York until the next day, hours after power had already been restored.
Mr. de Blasio still has more than two years until term limits will force him out of Gracie Mansion, and “there’s a lot he can do for his legacy,” said Rebecca Katz, a former special adviser to Mr. de Blasio, citing homelessness, public housing, education and criminal justice reform. “New Yorkers want their mayor to be a national figure, but they want him to do it from the steps of City Hall because they want the garbage picked up,” said Sid Davidoff, a supporter of Mr. de Blasio’s who was deputy campaign manager for John V. Lindsay, the last person to run for president while being New York City’s mayor.
“He has two years to communicate the good stuff he’s actually done,” Ms. Katz added. “There are other cities trying to do the things that New York has already done.” Scott M. Stringer, the New York City comptroller who plans to run for mayor in 2021, said that Mr. de Blasio’s presidential candidacy had damaged his mayoralty.
“I think it’s a genuine setback,” Mr. Stringer said in an interview. “He was chasing this notion of being a national progressive political icon, but that ship had sailed in the name of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. He has the greatest job in the greatest city in the world. He needs to come back and just govern the hell out of New York City.”
Mr. de Blasio expressed no regrets over his failed campaign, asserting that he was one of a few progressive candidates who had helped move the Democratic agenda to the left.
Jon Paul Lupo, Mr. de Blasio’s campaign manager, said that the mayor would continue to try to influence national politics. Mr. Lupo said he would now lead the mayor’s federal fund-raising entity, Fairness PAC, as Mr. de Blasio sought to raise money for progressive Democrats. It was unclear whether the mayor would still travel the country.
On Thursday, the Federal Election Commission sent Mr. de Blasio’s campaign a letter asking for an explanation of its use of money from his state political action committee, NY Fairness PAC. A New York State ethics panel is also investigating the mayor’s fund-raising practices.
As for his campaign, Mr. de Blasio said that if he had it to do again, there was only one thing he would do differently: Enter the race sooner.
“I wish I had more time,” he said. “I wish I had more resources. I think that would have made a difference. Earlier is better.”