Bloomberg wins, Corzine loses, Maine too close to call

With 97 percent of precincts reporting, the Associated Press has declared Mayor Michael Bloomberg the winner of the city's mayoral campaign with 51 percent of the vote. City Comptroller William Thompson, Jr., has garnered 46 percent.

Across the Hudson River, former federal prosecutor Chris Christie upset incumbent New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine. Christie garnered 50 percent of the vote. Corzine received 44 percent. And independent candidate Chris Daggett garnered 5 percent.

Christie's election could have major implications on the future of marriage for same-sex couples in the Garden State, but it remains unclear as to whether the referendum that seeks to repeal nuptials for gays and lesbians in Maine has succeeded. The Portland Press Herald reports 50.12 percent of Maine voters cast their ballots against the referendum versus 49.88 of those who supported it.

Stay tuned for more updates...

Election Day in Bushwick

I just voted at IS 347 on Starr Street. And aside from a malfunctioning voting machine and a huge wad of chewing gum into which I stepped, the process went smoothly.

Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., signs hung on street lights and along buildings leading up to the school. A number of businesses along Knickerbocker and Wilson Avenues also displayed posters in support of Working Families Parties candidate Maritza Davila in their windows.

Recent polls indicate Mayor Michael Bloomberg is poised to win a third term in office. Obviously nothing is final until the results come in, but I will continue to post updates as they trickle in.

Quinn endorses Thompson

With a week to go until New Yorkers cast their votes in the mayoral race, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced late yesterday she has endorsed Comptroller William Thompson, Jr.

Quinn was rumored to have been a potential candidate herself until the City Council's slush fund scandal broke last year. She has faced criticism over her decision to support a proposal to allow the mayor, City Council members and other local elected officials to seek a third term, but the question remains whether Quinn's endorsement of Thompson, who continues to trail Bloomberg in opinion polls, will actually make much of a difference next Tuesday.

The New York Times described Quinn's decision to back the comptroller as a "low-key endorsement" in its headline. One can further describe it as an example of curious political bedfellows because Thompson continues to base his campaign on his opposition to the extension of term-limits without a public referendum. Either way, one can once again question whether Quinn's decision to back Thompson actually matters.

NYC mayoral campaign kicks into high gear

As September winds down, politicos and other interested parties can rejoice the fact New York City's mayoral campaign continues to kick into high year.

City Councilmembers Bill de Blasio [D-Park Slope] and John Liu [D-Flushing] won the runoff election for Public Advocate and Comptroller last night, but all eyes have shifted to the race between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and current Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. And so what does all of this expected politicking actually mean?

One can almost certainly continue to conclude Thompson has an extremely uphill battle ahead of him. Bloomberg continues to tap into his massive personal fortunate to fund his campaign, but one of Thompson's main problems is the majority of New Yorkers don't know him. And in addition, one of his principle campaign messages is his opposition to the mayor's decision to change the term limits law. This position is certainly valid, but the challenge that arguably lays ahead for Thompson is to convince New Yorkers he is something more than an opposition candidate.

On the other hand, Bloomberg must convince New Yorkers he is the person who can continue to lead the city through extremely tough economic times. Palpable anger remains over his decision to extend term limits so he could run for a third time. The question remains, however, whether this angst will actually make a difference on Nov. 3. A Quinnipiac University poll conducted from Sept. 15-21 found 52 percent of New York City voters support Bloomberg; compared to 36 percent of those who endorsed Thompson. Anything can obviously happen between now and the general election, but these numbers simply confirm the mayor remains relatively popular among city voters.

Stay tuned for more electioneering... and more ads that feature Bloomberg speaking Spanish!