One of the leading print and website publications in NYC, The New York Observer has endorsed Bill Thompson as the Democratic choice for mayor in the upcoming September 10th primary. The Observer’s editorial board also endorsed former deputy mayor and MTA head, Joseph Lhota as the Republican choice for mayor.

“If this race were about credentials alone, Bill Thompson would be the winner, hands down,” The Observer writes about their choice on the Democratic side. “He is also honorable, a steady hand on the rudder and a sophisticated, nuanced thinker. And Mr. Thompson brings a value-added quality to the race: He is a conciliator who plays well with others.”

“None of the Democrats running for mayor this year can match Mr. Thompson’s experience… Ms. Quinn would make a capable mayor. We’re not ready to say that about the Democratic front-runner, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who has burst ahead of the field. Mr. de Blasio is bright and energetic and in his meeting with The Observer‘s editorial board calmed our nerves about a campaign that has essentially targeted the wealthy as the source of New York’s problems. However, his divisive campaign has consistently unleashed the kind of class warfare talk that might rack up votes in a Democratic primary but does not bode well for a de Blasio administration,” the Observer explained.

On the other side of the aisle, Joe Lhota earned high praise as “the most capable of the three candidates seeking the Republican nomination for mayor.”

“In fact, he’s one of the most capable candidates for mayor the city has ever known,” The Observer writes of Mr. Lhota. “The last two Republican nominees for mayor, Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, were newcomers to the gritty world of municipal governance. The same cannot be said of Mr. Lhota, who served as Mr. Giuliani’s budget director and deputy mayor for operations, giving him experience that none of this year’s mayoral wannabes can match.”

While the Observer offered no explanation of why John Catsimatidis would not be the right choice for Republicans, Mr. Lhota earned their endorsement for being “a serious candidate with serious qualifications.”

“Mr. Lhota has the experience and credibility to position himself as the next great reformer in City Hall. Moving forward, he needs to show a reformer’s passion,” they conclude.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)