NYC Republicans looking at 31-year old councilman to unseat De Blasio in '17

[smoltchanov]

I could see Ulrich running a good campaign for Mayor in 2017.

As far as i remember - he is relatively conservative on choice and some other social issues. All successes Republicans had in mayoral elections in NYC were with socially liberal candidates (Giuliani, and, especially, Bloomberg, even Lindsay in 60th). So - i doubt....

[smoltchanov]

I keep reading this as "NYC Republicans looking at 17-year-old to unseat De Blasio in '31."

This is the funniest thing I've ever read on the board. The NYC GOP better start looking at the 2-year-olds with the most potential.

Dude, Republicans could still win in NYC. The Italians and some Irish Giuliani coalition that is still in Glendale, Queens, Howard Beach, Queens, most of Staten Island, etc. could oust De Blasio if he underperforms.

Only if he severely underperforms...

[smoltchanov]

The days of Republicans winning NYC are long gone.

Not so long. Bloomberg successfully ran as a Republican...

[smoltchanov]

The days of Republicans winning NYC are long gone.

Not so long. Bloomberg successfully ran as a Republican...

How many years ago was that?

Last Bloomberg run was in 2009. If it's "long ago" then i am colonel Sanders....

[smoltchanov]

He was an independent in 2009. For some reason I thought he was an independent in 2005 as well, my bad. But regardless, 2005 is quite a long time ago. Democrats were still winning Arkansas and West Virginia in landslides back then.

"Long ago" for me is about 50 years. The first Presidential election i remember in some details is Johnson - Goldwater. And even that is not much by historical standards...

[smoltchanov]

He also barely won in 2009. His popularity had shrunk considerably from it's high point in 2005.

But he won. We will see what de Blasio popularity will be at comparable time. Some people soured on Bloomberg when he almost forced city council to lift term-limits in 2009, but, overall, IMHO, he was the best mayor in the last 50 years or so.

[smoltchanov]

^ 20th district. Peter Koo. The problem is - he is, essentially, moderate liberal (centrist on economy, more liberal (AFAIK) on social issues). Just as Bloomberg, and successful Republicans of the past (Lindsay, Kupferman and so on) were. But present day Republican party seems to hate such persons even more then Democrats. Especially - in their "own" party...

[smoltchanov]

^ Few, really. Only Kallos and, may be, Crowley, come to mind. And even Crowley may be too populist for such party... In the past most of such people came from Manhattan's UES, but, with Republican party becoming more and more socially conservative, many of them switched to Democrats. South in reverse))))

[smoltchanov]

^ Ulrich is better. In part - because he is more liberal socially. That's a plus in NYC... Staten Island candidates are, usually, social conservatives. But even Ulrich will have enormous difficulties in more then5:1 Democratic city.. Even with all DeBlasio problems..