Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Who the hell is Joe Lhota?

I will have more on Joe Lhota as the campaign progresses..

This little article from the Daily News should give you an idea what the conflict between him and DeBlasion will be like

NYC mayoral hopeful Joe Lhota wins Republican primary, targets Bill de Blasio

Lhota, who had the support of former mayor Rudy Giuliani and nabbed 52% of Tuesday’s vote, called Democratic nominee de Blasio's so-called tale of two cities 'nothing more than class warfare, an attempt to divide our city. It’s a feeble retreat to the old playbook that promises a perfect world, but delivers only special interest-dominated politics.'

Updated: Wednesday, September 11, 2013, 3:05 PM
NYC PAPERS OUT. Social media use restricted to low res file max 184 x 128 pixels and 72 dpi

Tim Farrell/New York Daily News

Lhota had 52% of the vote with 81% of precincts reporting Tuesday night.

Joe Lhota savored his new title of Republican mayoral nominee Tuesday night — and said the election presented voters with a clear choice of two starkly different directions for New York City.
In a victory speech that struck a serious tone — only interrupted when he broke out into wide grins as supporters cheered him at the New York Hilton Midtown — Lhota immediately attacked top Democratic vote-getter Bill de Blasio and his signature theme of New York as a city of haves and have-nots.

“I’m hearing an awful lot coming from the other side about a ‘tale of two cities,’ and how they want to tear down the progress that’s happened over the last 20 years,” Lhota said.

“This tale is nothing more than class warfare, an attempt to divide our city. It’s a feeble retreat to the old playbook that promises a perfect world, but delivers only special interest-dominated politics.”
“It’s this kind of thinking that brought our city to the brink of bankruptcy and with rampant decay,” he added . “I’m not going to let the other side divide this city.”

Lhota, the former head of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, had 52% of the vote with 97% of precincts reporting Tuesday night. John Catsimatidis, a billionaire grocery store magnate, had 41%. George McDonald, head of a nonprofit to help the homeless, had 7%.

He appeared at the Hilton with his wife, Tamra, and daughter, Kathryn. There was no sign in the ballroom of his former boss and keen supporter, Rudy Giuliani, though aides said he was in the hotel.

RELATED: BILL DE BLASIO LEADS BUT BILL THOMPSON COULD FORCE RUNOFF
Lhota arrives at the Brooklyn Heights polling place with his wife Tamra and daughter Kathryn.

Jesse Ward/for New York Daily News

Lhota arrives at the Brooklyn Heights polling place with his wife Tamra and daughter Kathryn.

“We’re very excited,” upper East Side resident Norbert Wirsching said of Lhota’s win. “He’s the best chance we have for continuing a strong city.”

“I’m happy about Lhota,” added Frank Johnson, 59. “I think he’s the most qualified. I think he’ll do well against de Blasio.”

Giuliani’s support for his former City Hall deputy seemed to sway some voters.

“I like his ideas, and he worked for Rudy,” said supporter Barbara Como, 78. “That’s good enough for me.”

Lhota, a decided underdog against the Democrats, has vowed to keep Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and supports the NYPD’s controversial stop-and-frisk tactic.

Both de Blasio and Bill Thompson — who could still face the top Democratic vote-winner in a runoff — have vowed to boot Kelly and modify stop-and-frisk.

“Handcuffing and demoralizing our police officers will have catastrophic consequences,” Lhota said Tuesday night. “I will support the NYPD and believe that stop-and-frisk must continue.”

RELATED: LHOTA AND CATSIMATIDIS BATTLE OVER 9/11, AND CATS
John Catsimatidis, a billionaire grocery store magnate, had 41% of Republicans ballots with 81% of precincts reporting.

Marcus Santos/New York Daily News

John Catsimatidis, a billionaire grocery store magnate, had 41% of Republicans ballots with 81% of precincts reporting.

He also plans on continuing Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s legacy of keeping tight control over the city’s school system and has vowed to double the number of charter schools.

Lhota said he and Catsimatidis, agreed more than they disagreed.

The larger-than-life billionaire mogul, nicknamed “Cats,” was left licking his wounds Tuesday night.
He sauntered into the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown dancing to Frank Sinatra’s “New York” — but grew emotional as he tried to put his bubbling emotions into coherent sentences.

“This is not exactly how we planned it,” he told his disappointed crowd of supporters, which included former Gov. George Pataki.

“I just wanted to let you guys know so you could go home early and get a good night’s sleep.
“Next time I’ll work harder,” he added after a few awkward pauses. The supermarket magnate was then overshadowed by his wife, Margo, when she took over the microphone and chastised her husband, “You’re not moving this along fast enough.”

“It’s not over until it’s over,” she said to the baffled crowd.
With Jennifer H. Cunningham

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