Park Slope Scramble

Is the 39th CD De Blasio’s to Lose?

Comments (0) By James Bradley Tuesday, Aug 28 2001

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photo: the office of Bill de Blasio

City Council candidate Bill de Blasio

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"The wild cards in the race are the gays and Hasidim," says Sheinkopf with a laugh. "That's an interesting combination, I know, but that's what it may boil down to." Among gays, Banks appears to have the upper hand; he has won the endorsement of Lambda Independent Democrats, the local gay and lesbian club, as well as such prominent gay pols as Tom Duane, and Deborah Glick.

Like most other City Council races, this election will ultimately be determined by who's got the best field operations (that, plus the all-important New York Times backing). Steve Banks has mustered an impressive array of endorsements from housing groups, unions, civic organizations, and community leaders. Jack Carroll's campaign is hoping to revive the reform coalition that helped elect such independents as Jim Brennan to the assembly and Joan Griffin McCabe to the City Council. After helping to elect a sitting first lady to office, de Blasio certainly knows a thing or two about running a successful campaign. (De Blasio also has the endorsements of several major unions, including the UFT and SCIU.) "Don't be surprised if there's a recount," one insider jokes.