Bloomberg wins close mayoral race

BY PETE DAVIS

Wednesday, November 4, 2009 1:01 PM EST

It’s Bloomberg again, but boy was it close.

Michael Bloomberg won a third term as Mayor of New York City, defeating Democrat Bill Thompson by a 51 to 46 percent margin in a race that was much closer than most experts predicted.

“The voters have spoken, and now it is up to us to deliver. Can we do it?” Bloomberg asked his supporters during his victory speech shortly after midnight on election night. “I know we can, and I know we will.”

Both Bloomberg and Thompson cast their votes early Tuesday morning in Manhattan and sounded confident for their prospects for the remainder of the day. Nearly all pre-election polls had Bloomberg up by double digits – some as much as 18 percent – but as the returns came in on election night, Thompson and Bloomberg remained neck and neck for most of the night.

It was Queens where Bloomberg surged ahead, receiving 154,127 to Thompson’s 120,754 – nearly a 35,000 vote difference. Overall, Bloomberg received 557,059 compared to 506,717 – a roughly 50,000 vote margin.

Last year, Bloomberg, who ran on the Republican and Independence ballot line, announced his intention to seek a third term in office, citing the difficult economic times that the city was going through and his ability to lead the city through those times.

“While we can’t fix the national recession, we can and we will get the city through the tough times,” Bloomberg said.

Thompson, who has served as the city’s Comptroller for the past eight years, tried to make the case to the voters that Bloomberg showed blatant disregard for the will of the people by orchestrating the term limits extension. The Thompson campaign also hammered Bloomberg for his campaign expenditure, which is hovering near $100 million of his own money that has gone to pay TV, radio and Internet advertisements.

Late Tuesday night, Thompson called Bloomberg to congratulate him on his victory and pledged to put the differences of the campaign behind them and move forward.

“Although we have had our differences, we have always found common ground in our deep desire to serve this city,” Thompson said during his concession speech.

During the campaign, Bloomberg talked about the improvement in test scores and graduation rates for public school students, reduction in crime, increased affordable housing and more parks and green space as a few areas that his administration has succeeded in improving during the past eight years. However, he also said there was room for improvement.

“I’m committed to working twice as hard as I did in the past eight [years],” Bloomberg said.

Read how Bloomberg's win will benefit Queens by clicking here

Photo Courtesy of The New York Daily News
Michael Bloomberg won a third term as Mayor of New York City and addressed supporters at a victory party late Election night.