A Mandate for Bloomberg? Those Looking at 2009 Say No
Fresh off the trouncing of Fernando Ferrer at the hands of Mayor Mike Bloomberg, a question that will be on the minds of many as the mayor finishes his first term is whether he has a mandate for the second. Only two and a half hours after polls closed on Tuesday, Dominic Carter of NY1 mentioned that word as Election Day coverage came to a close and votes were counted. The New York Times in their Wednesday editorial said that Bloomberg should not take this as a mandate to do anything he likes. The City Council will surely want to interrupt any dreams of a Bloomberg mandate.
The Council, with all competitive Republican challengers soundly defeated, remains with the Republican delegation at three members. Also, the post of Speaker will be up for grabs as Gifford Miller takes his leave due to term limits. The several likely candidates for the post will do their best to be the person that will allow the Council to stand up against the mayor. Certainly, the Council will not be less combative in the next four years than it was in the previous four.
Also standing in Bloomberg's way are the voters themselves. It wasn't long ago that it was certain that the Democratic challenger would take City Hall easily. Should Bloomberg once again push for projects and policies (2016 Olympics, anyone?) that anger the people of the city, those voices will be heard. The Council will have a field day of slogans and camera time while more political action committees will buy commercial time on local networks.
Without the mandate, the future after Bloomberg is very much up in the air. Would any Council members (including the Speaker) that seek to do better in the primaries than Gifford Miller for the Democratic nomination remain true to their opposition or would they moderate their message to appeal to voters that aren't as aware of Council actions? Would there be the rise of a new kind of Democrat, a Bloomberg Democrat, that promises to be like Bloomberg? Or would there be a moderate that many voters could agree on such as a stronger attempt from a better-known Congressman Anthony Weiner?
While there are challenges to come in the next four years, from Ground Zero to a possible Brooklyn arena to a budget gap, those looking at 2009 and beyond will not take a rest. The City Council will almost completely empty its ranks due to term limits if those are not eliminated or extended by then. Over thirty Council members will then be looking to forge a strong impression on voters as they look for their next job, perhaps the very same one Bloomberg has right now. The Democratic Party will focus on strategy for these years as they will desperately seek to avoid Republican control of the mayoralty for 20 straight years.
Bloomberg won handily on Tuesday. Even if it did take eight-figure spending to thoroughly secure the win, this is quite an accomplishment. However, these next four years may very well be tougher than the first four. The Mayor should not be comfortably thinking he has a mandate.
The Council, with all competitive Republican challengers soundly defeated, remains with the Republican delegation at three members. Also, the post of Speaker will be up for grabs as Gifford Miller takes his leave due to term limits. The several likely candidates for the post will do their best to be the person that will allow the Council to stand up against the mayor. Certainly, the Council will not be less combative in the next four years than it was in the previous four.
Also standing in Bloomberg's way are the voters themselves. It wasn't long ago that it was certain that the Democratic challenger would take City Hall easily. Should Bloomberg once again push for projects and policies (2016 Olympics, anyone?) that anger the people of the city, those voices will be heard. The Council will have a field day of slogans and camera time while more political action committees will buy commercial time on local networks.
Without the mandate, the future after Bloomberg is very much up in the air. Would any Council members (including the Speaker) that seek to do better in the primaries than Gifford Miller for the Democratic nomination remain true to their opposition or would they moderate their message to appeal to voters that aren't as aware of Council actions? Would there be the rise of a new kind of Democrat, a Bloomberg Democrat, that promises to be like Bloomberg? Or would there be a moderate that many voters could agree on such as a stronger attempt from a better-known Congressman Anthony Weiner?
While there are challenges to come in the next four years, from Ground Zero to a possible Brooklyn arena to a budget gap, those looking at 2009 and beyond will not take a rest. The City Council will almost completely empty its ranks due to term limits if those are not eliminated or extended by then. Over thirty Council members will then be looking to forge a strong impression on voters as they look for their next job, perhaps the very same one Bloomberg has right now. The Democratic Party will focus on strategy for these years as they will desperately seek to avoid Republican control of the mayoralty for 20 straight years.
Bloomberg won handily on Tuesday. Even if it did take eight-figure spending to thoroughly secure the win, this is quite an accomplishment. However, these next four years may very well be tougher than the first four. The Mayor should not be comfortably thinking he has a mandate.
posted by Will at 2:28 AM
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