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Call him Mike “Three Times” Bloomberg.
Mayor Bloomberg was narrowly re-elected to a third term tonight as he defeated — while vastly outspending — Comptroller Bill Thompson to win four more years at City Hall.
With 94 percent of the precincts reporting, Bloomberg had a 50 to 46 percent lead — a much smaller gap than the polls had projected on the eve of the election.
Before Election Day, various polls had Bloomberg winning by as little as 12 points to as many as 16.
With his victory, Bloomberg ensures himself a place in New York political lore by becoming the first mayor to win a third term since Ed Koch in 1985.
The victory also marks the fifth consecutive mayoral election where a Democrat has not won office after Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, won two straight terms, and Bloomberg matched that feat four years ago.
The City Council rolled back term limits last year, which allowed Bloomberg to run again.
The 67-year-old billionaire mayor, an independent who ran on the Republican and Independence lines, blanketed the city and airwaves with ads, spending more than $100 million of his own money to bankroll his campaign.
The amount represents the most expensive self-financed campaign in American history. Bloomberg spent $85 million to win re-election against Fernando Ferrer in 2005.
“This is the hardest and best run campaign I’ve ever seen,” said Koch, who endorsed Bloomberg.
Eight years after he came out of nowhere following the Sept. 11 attacks to defeat Mark Green, Bloomberg won after he repeatedly touted his record that features the lowest crime levels in decades and the highest school test scores in a generation.
“He is building on the record of Rudy Giuliani,” said Ed Cox, chairman of the state Republican Party.
New Yorkers who voted against Bloomberg overwhelmingly mentioned his changed position on term limits and exorbitant spending.
“I didn’t like the idea that King Mike thinks he can buy anything he wants, including my vote,” said Democrat Kevin Anterline, 56, who voted for Thompson.
Marjorie Shea, a retired high school teacher, said the spending was “overkill” — but voted for Bloomberg anyway, saying his wealth and businessman’s mind makes him an independent thinker.
“The team he has in place is doing very well. And he’s not beholden to anyone,” said Shea, a Democrat who voted on Manhattan’s Upper West side.
Helen Newman, 32, voted for Green Party candidate Billy Talen, but said she wasn’t bothered by the mayor’s deep pockets.
“I didn’t really see anyone show up who had a chance against him,” said Newman. “But then I guess no one showed up who had a chance against him because he has so much money.”
(Source: NY Post)
(YWN ELECTION ‘09 HEADQUATERS)
NBC has called back their projection. It is now very close
Comment by orthinsider — November 3, 2009 @ 10:11 pm
somehow, someway - its 49-48 bloomberg. nbc reversed its call
Comment by tina18 — November 3, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
“Bloomberg has officially been declared the winner.”
Umm, no. The winner is never officially declared the night of the election. It takes at least a week for anyone to be “officially declared the winner.”
Comment by Joseph — November 3, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
Where were all the anti semits, diem youn for thompson?
Comment by erbp — November 3, 2009 @ 11:10 pm
Sorry but no great excitement here
Comment by ani oymer — November 3, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
Go bloomberg!!!
Comment by getzel1 — November 3, 2009 @ 11:27 pm
Do you own a car or a house?? I don’t think so. The problam is not illegal parking it is the way the fines and tickets have been raised significently,and the way they are being slapped at you, if you raise your voice while getting a ticket 95% of the time you will be accused by the agent of assulting them and you find yourself in the slammer, so big dady untill you will own a car you would simply not understand why we cry babies came out and voted for the unpopular candidat.
Comment by Shmendrik — November 4, 2009 @ 12:00 am
He manipulated the polls to encourage organizations and communities to support him. Imagine if we in BP knew how close this is, would we have ever voted for this arrogant mayor. Would he have spent the same amount of money as thompson he would have lost big time with a landslide, that should serve as a reminder for Bloomberg how much he is hated
Comment by BP Kucherleffel — November 4, 2009 @ 12:04 am
another 4 years of crazy fines for tax burdened civilians for stupidity but criminals roam the streets free…..
Comment by daboss — November 4, 2009 @ 12:09 am
I only got one parking ticket this year, I still think bloomberg makes it a very expensive and difficult place to live and work with him around. He’s a straight shooter and doesnt sugar coat things, but I believe he’s way to rich to understand the working class.
Comment by bloomy basher — November 4, 2009 @ 12:11 am
obama endorsed thompson? baruch hashem see how the world runs
Comment by obamanation — November 4, 2009 @ 12:16 am
I didn’t vote either. My phones were clogged with phone calls to vote for Mayor Bloomberg (as if I can’t decide for myself whom to vote for. Obviously if I can vote I am an adult).
I told myself that one more phone call and he’s losing my vote. And he did. And it was way more than one phone call.
I usually always vote. Always! But I wasn’t going to vote for a candidate or party who bombarded me with phone calls, non-stop and cars with loudspeakers TELLING me who to vote for. If I’m an American adult and have to vote, this is not the American way, to TELL me who to vote for.
I think they are losing more voters than gaining them by such tactics. One phone call to remind us that it’s election day is enough. Not 25 phone calls and also deciding for me who I should vote for.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2009 @ 12:18 am
Bloomy how mutch did you pay the polsters to report on your favorite side?
Oh do I love this spent 100milion and to close to call against idiot thompson ha ha ha bloomy
Comment by yatzmich — November 4, 2009 @ 12:22 am
I think the media should be held re responsible for lying that Bloomberg has a 15% lead (it now becomes clear that he paid for these polls to find the 15% lead)
Comment by Faction — November 4, 2009 @ 12:45 am
All of you cry babies have to stop parking illegally and you’ll appreciate this great man and mayor!
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2009 @ 12:50 am
BD”E
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2009 @ 12:50 am
Bloomberg for presdent 2012
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2009 @ 12:51 am
I’m putting my car in storage for four years now
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2009 @ 12:53 am
I actually was hoping that Bill Thompson would win, but now that I see the Gruba Chazer Sharpton standing right beside him, (closer then his wife) I’m glad he lost…..
Comment by Anti Knocker — November 4, 2009 @ 12:53 am
now that the elections is over please come by my block and clean up all the garbedge you maild us the past 6 weeks before i get ticketed from your kapos
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2009 @ 12:55 am
Well, the people have spoken.
For all those who voted for Bloomberg- do NOT complain about tuition anymore.
Keep your mouths shut!!
This man gave crumbs (textbooks, and a few computers) to the yeshivas over the last 8 years, and like a bunch of suckers- our community voted for him.
How could we be so blind???
Parents are struggling with overwelming tuition payments and we then go out and vote for a man who has NOTHING on the tuition front in 8 years.
Comment by learn nyc — November 4, 2009 @ 12:59 am
100 million bucks and he won by 5 points.
my friends the loser is bloomberg.
ferd
Comment by dover shekarim — November 4, 2009 @ 1:09 am
The meters will change to 10 minutes water to +150% tickets to +300% no one will efford to eat fast food only our rich mayer
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2009 @ 1:12 am
Bloomberg may rub some people the wrong way but the truth is, he has done a far better job running this city than anyone could have expected when he started in 2001. His administrations have been scandal-free, he has acted honorably, there’ve been few racial problems, the public schools are functioning well. He’s a good mayor and I wish him well.
Comment by jemt4113 — November 4, 2009 @ 1:28 am
Based on the number of people that voted, it seems Bloonmberg supporters figured he would win and didn’t bother voting. Thompson would have been a disaster. He has no accomplishments on his resume to recommend him for being mayor, and you people who have said negative things about Bloomberg have just selfish reasons in mind, and would rather vote for someone who would have been no better than Dinkins. He was in the pocket of the unions, and education under him was a disaster.
Comment by flatbusher — November 4, 2009 @ 5:38 am
In a City run by Thompson would…
. Reduced parking fines have been a priority
. Reducing the number of ticket agents been reduced
. Would more money flow to yeshivos
. Would your taxes go down
The answer to all the above is probably no. Like Obama he really had no platform to speak of. His track record at the Board of Ed says that every dime he would get his hands on would be put into the Public School system. Where do you think those dimes would come from? Your taxes, fees and fines. His association with shady charachters (thats a nice word considering Al Sharpton is a crony of his, but not all his associates are THAT bad), his obvious pandering to the Democratic political machine, special interests groups and polarizing people made him a bad choice to begin with. Add to that the fact that like Obama he was not running on a platform other than “dont vote for him” I for one am glad he lost.
Comment by jphone — November 4, 2009 @ 6:19 am