2009 NYC Election: Bloomberg Wins 3rd Term By Small Margin

Left photograph of Mayor Bloomberg by Richard Drew/AP, right photograph of Comptroller Thompson by Diane Bondareff/AP

Mayor Michael Bloomberg won his controversial third term by beating Comptroller William Thompson by a much smaller than predicted margin. See the updates below for how the election night unfolded.

9:30 p.m.: The polls closed at 9 pm — now it's just a waiting game to see who who will win. We'll be watching the polls as the precincts tally votes between Mayor Bloomberg (I) and Democratic rival Bill Thompson (D). NBC News, with just 7% of precincts reporting, projects Bloomberg as the winner, with 53% of the vote to Thompson's 44%. And the NY Times, with 17% of precincts reporting, calls Bloomberg as the winner, with 49% of the vote to Thompson's 47%. Clearly, the margins will change throughout the night.

Additionally, the Times projects victory for City Councilman Bill DeBlasio (D) in the Public Advocate race and City Councilman John Liu (D) in the City Comptroller race.

We'll be also keeping out eyes on the results of races for citywide offices as well as a handful of contested Council seats, so keep checking back. For up-to-the-minute returns, take a look at the Times' nifty election maps or NY1's live election returns.

Stay tuned...

Update 10:00 p.m.: Now NBC News says the service they use for election results has, uh, taken back calling the mayoral race for Bloomberg (now they say, with 32 percent of precincts reporting, that Bloomberg has 49 percent to Thompson's 48 percent). But NBC also reports that Thompson has called Bloomberg to concede (we can't help but remember when Al Gore conceded, unconceded and lost anyway!).

Update 10:08 p.m.: Even though the NY Times and NBC New York websites have pulled out the big fonts to announce the Bloomberg victory, the incumbent currently leads Thompson by less than 1 percent (48.6 to 48.1), according to the Gray Lady's projections. Could this turn out to be more of a nail-biter than anyone expected?

Update 10:22 p.m.: The Post joins the crowd in declaring Bloomberg — who spent nearly $100 million of his own money on the most expensive mayoral campaign, ever — the victor. The tabloid goes with the lead: "Call him Mike "Three Times" Bloomberg."

This comes as NY1 reports that Bloomberg leads Thompson 49 percent to 48 percent, with 63 percent of precincts reporting. Meanwhile the Times has Bloomberg at 49.4 percent to Thompson's 47.3 percent.

Update 10:32 p.m.: NY1's latest numbers: 76 percent precincts reporting, Bloomberg leading with 50 percent, Thompson has 47 percent.

Update 10:38 p.m.: The Times has Bloomberg at 49.9 percent and Thompson at 46.7 percent with 89 percent of precincts reporting. It's a bit early for analysis, but considering that third party candidates so far have pulled in 3.4 percent of the vote — more than the gap between the Bloomberg and Thompson — it seems fair to raise the question: Which candidate is hurt more by third party candidates?

Update 10:41 p.m.: Playing it more conservatively than the Times, NBC, and the Post, NY1 moments ago called Bloomberg the winner. Their numbers have the incumbent topping Thompson 50 percent to 47 percent with 91 percent of precincts reporting.

Update 10:53 p.m.: NY Times, with 96 percent of precincts reporting, has Bloomberg with a 4 percent lead at 50.5 percent and Thompson at 46.2 percent. Pundits on NY1 are now wondering what if a Democrat had actually run a strong campaign against Bloomberg (the Village Voice's Wayne Barrett deemed Thompson's effort "lame").

Update 11:07 p.m.: The AP has also called the race for Bloomberg. As for the supposed concession (as reported by NBC News) that Thompson made to Bloomberg... nada.

Update 11:25 p.m.: With 99% of precincts reporting, NY1 says there's 51% for Bloomberg and 46% for Thompson. The Daily News deems Bloomberg the winner, but has this quote from a Bloomberg campaign staffer, "That's hardly a mandate."

And Thompson just came to the stage, apparently to make a concession. He starts, "Thank you friends. And thank you New York City.... Your support, enthusiasm and desire for change are what carried me to this point. A few minutes ago, I called Mayor Bloomberg"—crowds boo—"to congratulate him on his victory...I pledged to do whatever i can to put the differences of the campaign behind us" and help move this city forward. Thompson congratulates the new Public Advocate, Bill De Blasio, and Comptroller, John Liu, both present on the stage.

Update 11:52 p.m.: Mayor Bloomberg emerges at his victory party (after an introduction from Jimmy Fallon)—the music is U2's City of Blinding LIghts. A sea of supporters, all races and ages, stands behind him. "Thank you, gracias! What a week this has turned out to be!" He acknowledges the "hard-fought" election in a tough year. He also plays to the crowd, saying who knows, there might be a big victory celebration this week—as in a Yankees ticker tape parade—and says of Fallon's intro, "That might be the nicest thing a Red sox fan said about a Yankees fan."

Overall, Bloomberg emphasizes how voters "chose progress." He notes Thompson's "gracious" concession call— Thompson is booed by the crowd but Bloomberg tells the crowd how Thompson's a good guy and asks for a round of applause for him. He also points out that they have more similarities than differences. When Bloomberg congratulates John Liu for being elected City Comptroller and Bill DeBlasio for his Public Advocate victory, there are big cheers in the crowd.

Bloomberg lists his various accomplishments and says if people think they've seen progress in these past eight years, he says of the next four years, "You ain't see nothin' yet!" He plays up his independence—"I couldn't be prouder in being the first Independent mayor of New York City." He rattles off some Spanish, thanks his many campaign staffers and volunteers (shout-out to Bradley Tusk) and thanks the women in his life— his daughters, sister and nieces, girlfriend Diana and mother. Also, he LOVES New York, "This is the place, no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, if you work hard enough and have a little bit of luck along the way, nothing can stop you from following your greatest dreams."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Muessig in News on November 3, 2009 11:31 PM

Comments [rss]

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andrewjose

Again winner we support him,Thanks

davig983

LMFAO!

Ed

I went to Letterman tonight, when he mentioned Bloomburg winning... I Booed!! Then I got Kicked out at the First Break! Is this Bloomburgs New York?

felixthecat2

that sucks.

JacqueMehoff

sorry to hear that but yeah if you're not rich you don't matter. how's that cheater letterman doing?

one of reasons I've stopped watching letterman. in a way they're both almost alike. arrogant insecure little heartless bitter men.

movi

To say that Bloomberg "bought the election" is an insult to voters. I have faith that NYers have anough intelligence and savvy to vote based on the record and content of what a candidate has to say, not how much is invested in the means to say it. I listened to Thompson and didn't hear much. He repeatedly said, "this has to change" or "that has to change," but never said HOW. Bloomberg had answers and expressed what would be needed to get things done. I'm a Democrat and voted for Bloomberg. Thompson didn't impress me much at all, and I felt he was exploiting some connection to Obama that didn't really exist.

REALITY CHECK

It's an insult to common sense to suggest that the highest personal campaign expenditure in United States history had no effect on the final polling numbers.

Bike Rider

he totally bought this election. he spent something like 100mil of his own $$

longacre

You Bloomberg haters should redirect your anger at the Democrats for not putting up a respectable candidate. Judging by the final margin, had they put up someone with even a shred of street cred, they could have won. Thompson isn't a bad guy, but he's nobody.

hotstepper

reposting:

by overthrowing voter-mandated term limits, bloomberg essentially guaranteed that a viable democratic contender would not run. the richest man in new york bought this election, plain and simple.

nivek

Right, because who wants to step up and try?

The fact that Thompson even got 46% of the vote on a campaign based around a completely asinine issue is amazing.

Potty Boy

I don't have a problem with Bloomberg spending a lot of money to win. And quite frankly, I'm baffled by those who criticize him on that basis. His job #1 as candidate is to win. And you would expect him to use all of his resources. So, what's the problem? It's the same criticism that's lobbed at the Yankees.

commisioner gordon

I doubt Thompson would have taken $1 for his annual salary

felixthecat2

NO, he wouldn't because Thompson would work FOR US and Be BEHOLDEN TO US. Bloomberg doesn't take a salary because he doesn't Work for us but works for himself. He isn't beholden to the people which is why all the protest in the world and all the petitions in the world doesn't sway him. He does what he wants.

theevilone

Thompson is a career politician. He would be beholden to every hack he owes a favor to and every special interest he took money from. That's the way the game works.

JacqueMehoff

not unlike bloomberg who uses money to get beholden.

he doesn't accept bribes but will give them.

he's the man with the money. he works the opposite game and that also works.

ckl

The fact that two years of recycling/refusing plastic bags was basically negated by the giant glossy postcards and pamphlets I got daily for the last six months? Especially considering they all basically said "HEY THIS GUY FUCKED UP A BUNCH OF SHIT BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW."

HOTCUP

The fact that two years of recycling/refusing plastic bags was basically negated by the giant glossy postcards and pamphlets I got daily for the last six months? Especially considering they all basically said "HEY THIS GUY FUCKED UP A BUNCH OF SHIT BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW."

exactly, everybody knows this, so why are people contributing this so much to a "bought" election? i could say the same thing about anything that thompson said about bloomerg - when there was plenty of negative things to be said about bloomberg. no, he went for the cheap shots: "term limits, bike lanes, he's rich, he's a republican."

felixthecat2

Not a level playing field and politicians are supposed to Serve us but Bloomberg didn't spend 100 million to serve us but himself. Yankees aren't public servants.

Potty Boy

The "level playing field" argument is a non-starter. You know where that's gonna lead us, right? Nowhere. (Is it 2 words or 1?) It's the age-old equality argument.

"[not] to serve us but himself." That's a vague personal attack. I don't even know what that means. So I can't address it.

pal

obama has no spine. what if he had campaigned with thompson and supported him more? that could have helped.

but no - our president who claims he's different is seduced by bloomberg's wealth and power. what a sell-out!

disappointing.

movi

Um, he's got some other things to do besides get involved in a city's local politics...

JMH

Wait, you're blaming Obama for the fact that the NYC Dem party threw out a terrible candidate? Maybe if they had someone who deserved his endorsement, Obama would've endorsed him or her.

HOTCUP

this logic baffles me. you act as if obama and bloomberg would otherwise be completely opposed to each other.

you can't just reduce bloomberg's value to obama as "wealth and power." that is the most juvenile understanding of the situation. just to give an example, the obama admin's national education reform agenda is essentially a carbon copy of new york's model. he's an indispensable ally in tons of respects. name another mayor who can get things done in congress. bloomberg's a national and even global political player, not to mention remarkably compatible with obama's agenda for a non-democrat.

at least endorsing corzine made some sense. who is thompson other than some democrat? not exactly the most valuable ally, even as the mayor of NYC. you're basically complaining because partisan politics didn't pull through for your guy. that totally sucks.

valeriob

To Keeps me from Fiddlin', I just takes me Ritalin'...

felixthecat2

Obama and all the other sell out democrats such as Christine Quinn, Citizen Unions, Calvin Butts, micahel McMahon. And The working FAmily party as well. the WFP backed off helping Thompson because the CFB was investigating them. Just as Bloomberg made the slush fund scandals go away for Christine Quinn, he made this investigation go away as well and let the working family party off the hook. People don't realize how we really do live in a Dictatorship and that Bloomberg OWNS this City and now OWNS us. Fuck, I am about to stamp a UPC on my ass now.

WorksInDUMBO

who is this "christine quinn" you speak of?

felixthecat2

http://christinequinn.com/

felixthecat2

Obama and all the other sell out democrats such as Christine Quinn, Citizen Unions, Calvin Butts, micahel McMahon. And The working FAmily party as well, they backed off helping Thompson because the CFB was investigating them. Just as Bloomberg mad the slush fund scandals go away for Christine Quinn, he made this investigation go away as well and let the working family party off the hook. People don't realize how we really do live in a Dictatorship and that Bloomberg OWNS this City and now OWNS us. Fuck, I am about to stamp a UPC on my ass now.

hotstepper

what a blow out. with that margin i guarantee bloomie had an angry piss right in his kid-sized fruit of the looms.

HOTCUP

bloomberg's pointed out, i think with some legitimacy, that there were narrow margins for all winning incumbents in major elections across the country. it's largely a function of the bad economy - which is a global more than a local problem.

still, i wouldn't go as far as to suggest that it "really is" a mandate. i just think that the narrow margin isn't really as big of a deal as people think it is.

term limits, of course, was a large contributor to thompson's votes. but that's more a credit to anti-bloomberg sentiment than to people who legitimately supported thompson.

hotstepper

by overthrowing voter-mandated term limits, bloomberg essentially guaranteed that a viable democratic contender would not run. the richest man in new york bought this election, plain and simple.

that a relatively unprepared and unknown schmuck closed in on the incumbent to this degree IS a big deal, no matter how bloomie spins it publicly.

HOTCUP

"by overthrowing voter-mandated term limits, bloomberg essentially guaranteed that a viable democratic contender would not run"

who overthrew term limits? how many democrats in the city council?

in a one party town, partisan politics is useless. bloomberg, for one, is for throwing out the party system in NYC municipal elections.

hotstepper

i believe that is called a monarchy my friend.

HOTCUP

monarchy? actually it would allow for more than one democrat to run during the general election, which would solve what you're whining about. if that had been the case, anthony weiner would be mayor-elect right now.

hotstepper

yes, monarchy as in: "undivided rule or absolute sovereignty by a single person".

you're really not making much sense, but i suppose that's important when trying to convince yourself that a leader revoking the will of the people is mere whining.

in any case, keep up the good work kiddo.

valeriob

Congratulations Mayor Bloomberg!

jibbly

Ugh, great another four fucking years of this megalomaniac.

zodak

i didn't vote, i went home & watched heroes on my dvr, suck it responsible citizens!

NewHCE

I think this is a huge rebuke of Bloomie. Up 18% in the polls going in, outspent the other guy by 10-1. He wins by 5% only because of SI.

Will it change how he does business? Of course not.

The problem with Bloomie-whome I voted for twice, is that he read Caro's The Power Broker not as a cautionary tale, but as an instruction manual.

JW

Much closer than anyone expected, but the outcome was the same! Yay! Hey -- at least it was his own money he spent (and not that of donors or taxpayers' via public campaign financing).

What if the Dems actually had nominated someone with energy and ideas? Gotta think that Anthony Weiner is really kicking himself right now!!

felixthecat2

Wrong, Just as he gave taxpayers money to City council Quinn, Simcha Felder and others to overturn term limits, Bloomberg gave lots of our money for endorsements,. He gave raises to unions such as the PBA and to community services such as Calvin Butts. AGAIN, think about it. He didn't spend over 100 million to HELP us. Fuck it. IT is too late. NYC voters failed miserably.

JW

Awww Felix,

Defeat sucks, eh? Did you actually do anything in support of a candidate, apart from bitch and moan about Bloomberg on Gothamist?

All politicians -- be it Bloomberg, Thompson or anyone else -- are in the game for themselves, at least to some degree. Are you so naive to think otherwise?

Take heart: at least the next four years will provide you with ample fodder to continue to complain here!

felixthecat2

what is your point? Yes, I did volunteer for Thompson and donated money to his campaign. So now Bloomberg has a problem with the first amendment. I can't voice my dissatisfaction with how we overturn term limits and bought this race? Fuck you and FUCK Bloomberg.

JW

Of course you can voice your dissatisfaction. And kudos to you for actually participating.

Term limits are ridiculous...and there should be a concerted effort to overturn them for EVERY office. Term limits are a result of a lazy democracy and a broken system.

But your anger seems a bit over the top. And the vulgarity is, unfortunately, not surprising. Where's the civility???

felixthecat2

civility? When there is injustice there should be ANGER. Bloomberg bought this election. He deliberately ran down the clock to avoid a public referendum and overturn term limits. Bloomberg deserves no civility and I have verbally call him out in public and his goons push me away and escorted him into his SUV. When all my money is used to enriched the selected few in this city and to disadvantage the rest of the city then yes I am UNCIVIL and yes I am ANGRY. Bloomberg took so much liberties from us but he can't take away my voice.

valeriob

Don't feed the troll.

Think2wice

My vote for Bloomberg was pretty much a vote for Janette Sadik-Khan at the DOT.

Think2wice

Excellent point on Weiner. He got a lot of love from the Democratic base over the summer and it could have paid dividends if he was still in the race. I guess it'll be Weiner 2013 then.

verbal

Weiner should kill himself for being Pelosi's water boy.

redhookreject

is a $165 a vote a new record?

dgeee

Corporate fascism is alive and well in NYC... it won't be long before most of us get our one way airfare out of NYC, compliments of Mayor Bloomberg.

valeriob

Yesterday wouldn't have been soon enough for you to leave.

dgeee

I think your yarmulke is on too tight.

verbal

small margin for a small man.

jmaz98

Bloomberg now can spend the next four years trying to convince the City Council to make him Mayor for Life.

suepart

i still say thompson was/is on bloomberg's payroll. bloomberg wins again because the people who should have voted for him sat on their ass doing nothing as usual, waiting for their handouts.

Nyctini11

Hey Gothamist can we please get an "i hate" vote instead of, or in addition to "likes"??

UnF'ing REAL

doody

What disgusting hypocrisy by gothamist

One year ago I did not see a headline about the "Small Margin" of victory for Obama after he won the presidential election with just 53% of the popular vote... a mere 2 points more than Bloomberg won this election.

gothamist flashback: (what a difference 2 points makes!!!)

http://gothamist.com/2008/11/04/waiting_for_our_44th_president.php

felixthecat2

Mr Obama earned 66.86 million votes nationwide and Senator McCain, 58.31 million, NBC, CBS and Fox News reported, as final vote tallies trickled in.

With record numbers of Americans casting ballots, the first African-American president-elect won more votes than any candidate in US history, and a higher percentage of the overall vote than any Democrat since Lyndon B Johnson in 1964 (61.1 per cent)

mellow_fellow

...which comes out to 53.4% for Obama and 46.6% for McCain (assuming all votes cast for other candidates are negligible), a difference of 6.8%.

But to a certain degree, that's comparing apples to oranges since they were actually competing for the electoral vote, not the popular vote.

Furthermore, doody, Bloomberg's margin of victory was significantly smaller than what the polls predicted.

felixthecat2

http://www.ipnyc.org/

Lenora Fulani spoked on the steps of City hall how she would never permit Bloomberg to run on her party lines because he failed on his promise to reform city govt and because he extend term limits without a PUBLIC referendum. Then this BITCH change her tune after he gave her party a check for a 1/4 of a million and sold him the party line. Fucking bitch.

felixthecat2

RIP NYC

silver

Bloomie is the lesser of 2 evils. Thompson would make NYC look like Camden or Detroit. Thompson's idea of accountability is fire everyone, put in his own men to collect the graft and bribes, meanwhile burning the city down and asking for funds to rebuild from DC, only to put into his pocket. Thompson would kill the NYPD's success on crime with the sword of racism through defunding. Thompson isn't planning to give the people concealed carry after he turns the city into Cabrini Green either.

Bloomberg's bad/poor/negative development is better than no development. Every glass condo box built makes pre-war "luxury" rental apartments cheaper.

nyactorgirl

I agree that this election was determining who was the lesser of the two evils. Sad. Reminds me of the Bush/Kerry election. Sucks when politics gets like that.

felixthecat2

Attention people of new york. You think the mayor spent 100 million dollars to HELP YOU? If he simply gave 100 million to a few churches to disperse among the needy- most of you could HAVE HOMES! AND INSURANCE. He is a scumming traitor who wants innocent Americans stripped of our rights! He is a wack job malignant narcissistic sociopath like the JOKER is! he likes ruling over you! He did not want the job so he could SERVE YOU!!!

mellow_fellow

There are 8 million people in NYC. Let's say half of them were eligible to vote. (The other half are children, noncitizens, felons, etc.) $100 million is only $25 per voter.

felixthecat2

Actually over 1 million voted so it comes out to about $200 a vote.

mellow_fellow

Still, that's not enough to provide homes and insurance for all those.

nicemarmot

See now, if Bloomberg had just sent my unemployed ass a check for $200 I might have been willing to vote for him!

mellow_fellow

Maybe you'd have a job if you weren't screwing around on the Internet at a quarter to two in the morning.

movi

LMFAO!

nicemarmot

Yes clearly my insomnia is the whole issue...troll.

felixthecat2

"Thompson would kill the NYPD's success on crime with the sword of racism through defunding", Yes NYPD is really do a great job not taking reports of any crime that isn't murder.

nyactorgirl

I've lived here for 3 years and I had no idea I lived in a town of sell outs. How utterly shameful! Bloomberg bought the city counsel members. He bought the republican line on the ballot. And he bought the voters. Wow. Its totally possible to blatantly buy an election. At least elsewhere politicians try and hide it or disguise it a little. I guess there's no shame in your game, NYC. You're for sale! This town just got alot less cool.

ides_of_march

Where do you come from where everyone is so virtuous, pure of spirit and do nothing whatsoever out of financial considerations?

nicemarmot

Speaking as a fellow transplant...though significantly longer...how could you live here for 3 years and not notice that EVERYTHING is for sale here? Department of Buildings, safety inspections? For sale. Fire safety inspections? For sale. Using eminent domain to give chunks of land to rich developer friends? I mean, you can go on and on. The list never ends. Bloomberg and Thompson are equally guilty of these crimes, I might add. Bloomie doesn't care about the money but he wants the power.

Steven

No surprise he won. I'm surprised it was this close though.

Bernie Madoff-Goetz

Our $100m mayor wins it all tonight and our $200m baseball team can potentially do the same tomorrow or Thursday. That's New York for you.

dimadelux

you got that right Bernie Madoff

NannyState

We're all going to die.

Mr Mel

But I'll go with a smile on my face.

felixthecat2

We're Fucked

mellow_fellow

You first.

dimadelux

Bloomberg & Jimmy Fallon ROFL

bloomberg pwns

Oxford

go bbrg. eat it, all you haters.

JacqueMehoff

maybe bloomberg should have spent an extra $100 million so he can get more than half the electoral votes.

now he'll have to remember that number. what? he has a double digit lead?

city hall is not citibank.

xina

so glad i voted in this close race! i love what bloomberg has done with environmental and health initiatives. we are all benefited by a cleaner city, free of smoky bars and trans fats in our food. not to mention the 1 million tree project, etc.

i think the fact that he is a gazillionaire makes him an effective mayor. he doesn't need this office to gain power since he already has it. he loves this city and wants to make it a better place for himself to live in.

i really didn't notice how his spending gave him more exposure than his rival except for the constant large direct mail postcards i kept getting in my mailbox. hope they were made from recycled paper!

chortik

oh and he's not a republican

nivek

Sorry, I want my bike lanes and congestion pricing.

chortik

bloomberg's victory margin is disappointingly slim. must be the turn out.

Såkandulæredet

Yes he did spend a ridiculous amount of money running. Yes its kind of weird how he was able to finagle his way with a third term.

But for the most part, I think he has governed the city well. I like how he handles himself, how he delegates responsibility. On tv, a lot of politicians just like to hear themselves talk. But Bloomie if he doesn’t know something, he’ll just hand over the mic to someone who does. He’s like a benevolent dictator, he strong-arms his way into things, and possibly circumvents some of the democracy, but he’s done a good job for the past 8 years and I trust that moving forward. Sometimes to get things done, especially in politics, things like this have to be almost forced. Otherwise everything is just a bunch of talk. Go Bloomberg, my favorite billionaire.

tainian2000

I called hizzoooner a few months ago when he announced himself with his 20 royal citycounsilious everyone eats all their own birthday cake fellows that it was not a wise move to remove restrictions to renew his posh mayoral seat, however, we do not want a king just a mayor, not a royal court to serve a king but assembly persons to serve the people that live in NY city, and not oligarquism or nepotism...well more than half the city people DO NOT WANT BLOOMBERG FOR MAYOR, HE SHOULD CONCEED, before he gets looses that are moneys not votes.

Blue387

Republicans won two city council seats in Queens tonight on Bloomberg's coattails.

verbal

Unfortunately dickwad is going to win this; the 3rd party candidates proved to play a role, but it hurts Thompson. This would be embarrassing to the midget, but he HAS NO SHAME.

He should have to pay asshole tax for every dollar he spent on this campaign.

kruton

I like a lot of what Bloomberg has done, but I voted against him because of term limits. He was on record strongly against overturning term limits until he realized no one outside of NYC would ever elect him to public office.

Blue387

WNYC says AP calls it for Bloomberg.

cucarachita

I don't want to marry him, and I don't dislike him either, and frankly even if lots of people don't LIKE what he did with the term limits, it was totally legal and possible for him to do it, and that's why he did it. If it weren't, well, he couldn't be running. Not liking what he did doesn't mean it's wrong that he did it. It's just wrong for you objectors!

That said, I have nothing against a third term of Bloomberg, and my feeling is, if he's available for a third term, I'd just as soon keep him. If he didn't run, I'd have to hold my nose and vote for whatsisface, just because he's a democrat, and only because he's a democrat. Which is not my idea of a good reason to vote for someone.