(TargetLiberty.org) – The midterm elections rumor mill is in full swing. As Democrats and Republicans decide who they’ll nominate to capture votes in November, two sources close to former New York Mayor Bill De Blasio say he’s once again considering his own congressional run. How likely is he to follow through?
De Blasio Flip Flops
A Twitter post De Blasio shared only two weeks ago on January 18 paints a very different picture of the ex-mayor’s political future. In it, he directly dismisses the idea he might join the gubernatorial race and vows to continue fighting for equality in New York.
I am not going to be running for Governor of New York State, but I am going to devote every fiber of my being to fighting inequality in the state of New York. pic.twitter.com/cBZ03BpO0s
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) January 18, 2022
So, what’s changed?
While it isn’t entirely clear, a pair of unidentified sources told the New York Post De Blasio was “making calls” about stepping up to challenge former congressman Max Rose (D-NY).
While De Blasio himself has yet to confirm the rumors, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility for him to change his mind after declining to run for governor. The recent redistricting of New York’s 11th Congressional District on Wednesday, February 2, may have prompted the change of heart.
De Blasio Faces New Hurdles
If DeBlasio chooses to move forward, he would run in New York’s 11th Congressional District, making his battle against other candidates easier.
Legislators recently reapportioned the 11 district, publishing a new congressional map which heavily favors Democrats over Republicans. Representatives Lee Zeldin (R-NY) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) both suffered losses in the reorganization; their districts grew to include a higher percentage of Democrats. Now, they’ll have a tougher fight on their hands.
Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY), on the other hand, lost her district altogether. It now falls under the jurisdiction of Representative Antonio Delgado (D-NY).
GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy blasted the DNC over the changes shortly after the new map went public.
These maps are the most brazen and outrageous attempt at rigging the election to keep Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. Voters spoke loud and clear in rejecting their partisan power grab last year and in 2014, but Democrats are circumventing the will of the people. They can’t win on the..
— Nick Langworthy (@NickLangworthy) January 31, 2022
Langworthy and several others accuse the DNC of actively attempting to rig the election via gerrymandering. That’s a weighty claim to make just one year after former President Donald Trump fired similar barbs at the DNC on the federal elections stage.
Is De Blasio Right for the Job?
Rumors aside, there are serious concerns from folks on both sides of the aisle about whether De Blasio would even make an adequate governor or congressman. He has a history of refusing to listen to constituents or political colleagues. That led to several extreme failures during his tenure as the mayor of New York, which officially ended on December 31, 2021.
When first elected in 2014, De Blasio talked the talk and appeared to walk the walk. He wanted to fix income inequality, narrow the income gap, defund police, create a new streetcar plan, fund schools, and even ban horse-drawn carriages in the city.
Not one of those promises ever came true.
De Blasio also dropped the ball on a long list of other issues. He failed to correct the longstanding issue of street safety; statistics suggest the number of pedestrian-vehicle accidents actually increased. And the former mayor’s controversial New York Works employment program, which he swore would create 100,000 living-wage jobs, generated only 3,000 while somehow managing to cost the city $300 million.
With so much failure under his belt, is De Blasio really right for the job? Even now, he faces a considerable disadvantage due to his lack of support from Republicans and DNC members alike. But, the fact he couldn’t even manage to deliver on key issues as a mayor doesn’t bode well for his future accomplishments in congress.
Would you support Bill De Blasio if he decides to run?
Copyright 2022, TargetLiberty.org
