So it seems NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo has stepped in to broker a “unity event” in New York this morning where former Comptroller Bill Thompson will quit the mayor’s race in favor of Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, whose apparent primary win is being delayed by a slow count of paper ballots plus a pending recount. With polls earlier showing de Blasio an almost certain runoff winner, Thompson’s action isn’t surprising, but it apparently took some external pressure to make it happen.
Former deputy mayor Joe Lhota has won the Republican nomination but is not generally expected to be able to continue the GOP’s peculiar hold on Gracie Mansion. Still, a runoff fight would not have gotten de Blasio’s general election campaign off to an optimal start.
