De Blasio, Far Ahead in New York Mayoral Polls, Talks of Mandate; Lhota Hopes for Upset
By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ and DAVID W. CHEN
Published: November 4, 2013
Concerned that his overwhelming lead in the race to be New York mayor could depress voter turnout, Bill de Blasio on Monday warned supporters against complacency as he sought to win with a decisive mandate that could propel his liberal agenda.
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Mr. de Blasio, who leads by more than 40 points in some polls, is hoping to ride the wave of populist momentum that has sustained him since September, when he emerged from a crowded field to win the Democratic nomination for mayor. An overwhelming victory might help him win support for his long list of policy ideas, including his signature proposal — a plan to raise taxes on wealthy residents to pay for an expansion of prekindergarten and after-school programs.
“We need Bill de Blasio to have a mandate,” Rubén Díaz Jr., the Bronx borough president, said during Mr. de Blasio’s appearance in the Bronx. “We need to make sure his numbers are so high that no one can ever question his message.”
Labor unions vowed to do their best to turn out the vote. For example, George Gresham, the president of 1199 SEIU, the health care workers’ union, said volunteers would be knocking on the doors of more than 100,000 of his union’s members.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/nyregion/sky-high-in-the-polls-de-blasio-seeks-a-mandate.html?_r=0