A new candidate is jumping into the mayor's race to challenge Mayor Bill de Blasio. Political reporter Grace Rauh has the story.
Staten Island Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis — a Republican — says she is running for mayor. She registered paperwork with the state board of elections to run for mayor, and she has now confirmed her plan to run for City Hall to our colleague Zack Fink up in Albany.
Her late entry in the Republican primary field is sure to shake things up immediately. As an elected official, Malliotakis has already positioned herself as a prominent critic of the Mayor's — and has even filed a lawsuit against the city over its plans to destroy documents collected through its municipal ID card program. She is the only woman in the race.
Her candidacy calls into question the front-runner status that real estate executive Paul Massey has enjoyed so far, but arguably has failed to capitalize on. He has been a formidable fundraiser, but he has also spent the money he raised quite quickly. And over the last few months he has had trouble generating excitement and enthusiasm from Republican leaders and the party base.
The other Republican in the mix is Michael Faulkner, a former NFL player who is now a pastor — who has struggled to raise money so far.
The fiery, former NYPD detective Bo Dietl is not a registered Republican but is trying to run in the GOP primary. Malliotakis' entry makes it seem that much harder for him to gain the special permission he would need to compete.
All of these candidates will be together tomorrow night, for a candidate forum hosted by the Manhattan Republican party. Party leaders had hoped to avoid a primary battle, but it looks like they may be getting one just the same.