In spite of his opponent's name recognition and family fortune, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer defeated former Governor Eliot Spitzer to win the Democratic primary for Comptroller last night. Stringer got 286,361 votes (52.1% of the vote) to Spitzer's 263,501 votes (47.9%). Stringer said last night, "It was a total struggle, but New Yorkers gave me a shot. Sometimes the guy without the resources but with a lot of heart can win the election."
On his side, Stringer did have substantial support from unions (which helped with get out the vote operations) as well as help from the three dailies which endorsed him and also pointed out Spitzer's failings. The Post's headline today is, "Stringer Saves NYC From Spitzer."
Stringer also upped his game, becoming rather aggressive in debates and forceful when discussing Spitzer's integrity issues. Political analyst Bill Cunningham told the Wall Street Journal, "I think Stringer surprised everybody by being very feisty in the debates and carrying the fight to Spitzer." He also ate a cronut—obviously a critical factor in his win.
Spitzer, who only entered the race in early July and spent lavishly to get on the ballot, had tried to dismiss Stringer's years as a state lawmaker in Albany as a deficit, while playing up his credentials from his Attorney General/Sheriff of Wall Street days. In the end, it seems voters couldn't forget the scandalous end of his career as Governor of New York.
If you look at the map of votes, you can see where Spitzer and Stringer earned votes. The Times notes, "There was a sharp racial divide, with Mr. Stringer winning about two-thirds of white voters, and Mr. Spitzer winning about two thirds of black voters."
