De Blasio Wins NYC Democratic Mayoral Primary

By AP
Posted on 09/13/17 | News Source: YWN

Incumbent Bill de Blasio won renomination in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City Tuesday night.

“I have always loved this city, and I’ve gone around these last four years and gotten to know this city I love more deeply. My love has grown for it. My love for the people of this city has grown. My respect for the people of this city has grown. My optimism about the future of the city has grown, because I’ve seen what’s possible,” de Blasio said in his victory speech.

But de Blasio said he does not intend to rest on his laurels.

“No matter how much I love this place, no matter how much good I’ve seen, I do not accept the status quo in this town,” de Blasio said. “We’ve got more to do, my friends. We’ve got more to do.”

He celebrated his achievements or pre-K for free, a reduction in stop-and-frisks by police, a rent freeze for rent-stabilized leases, and the allowance for lawyers for tenants faced with eviction.

“This is your city,” he said as the crowd joined him in unison.

Regarding the phrase, he said, “It reminds people that all those years they felt their city slipping away, we’re never going to let that happen.”

De Blasio was one of five Democrats running in Tuesday’s primary. He was up against former City Councilman Sal Albanese — who appeared with him in two debates — as well as Richard Bashner, Robert Gangi and Michael Tolkin.

Albanese earlier conceded the race.

With 86 percent of the precincts reporting, de Blasio had 266,638 votes or 74 percent, compared with 16 percent for Albanese, 5 percent for Tolkin, 3 percent for Gangi, and 2 percent for Bashner.

The mayor will now face Republican Nicole Malliotakis in the general election. Former NYPD police officer and security expert Bo Dietl is also running as an Independent.