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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pro-Cuomo super PAC launching $380K field operation in final days of NYC mayoral race
The main super PAC boosting Andrew Cuomo's mayoral campaign is launching a field operation in the final days of the mayor's race to the tune of nearly $380,000 — including more than $100,000 spent on T-shirts for volunteers, new filings show. The expenditure from Fix the City, which has raised nearly $20 million in support of Cuomo, comes after the ex-governor's main rival in the Democratic mayoral primary, Zohran Mamdani, has mounted a major field game, deploying tens of thousands of mostly unpaid canvassers to knock doors for him and hand out campaign literature across the five boroughs. Cuomo's campaign hasn't launched its own paid field operation, so Fix the City's effort fills a void just as the June 24 primary campaign enters the final few days. The PAC, which is largely being funded by billionaire business titans like ex-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and cosmetics tycoon William Lauder, first plunked down $173,875 on June 12 to hire Bartholomew Communications and Strategies, a Manhattan consulting firm, to manage the field operation, disclosures show. The PAC then paid the firm another $109,044 on June 16 for the field operation work. In addition, Fix the City paid Mainland Media, a Bronx-based design company, $104,105 to manufacture hundreds of T-shirts emblazoned with Fix the City's logo and the phrase: 'Vote for Cuomo: The mayor for this moment.' Liz Benjamin, a spokeswoman for Fix the City, confirmed Wednesday the T-shirts are for the field workers hitting the streets for get-out-the-vote efforts. She also confirmed the field operation is underway, but declined to divulge how many volunteers the super PAC is dispatching or which neighborhoods they are targeting. Reached over the phone, Barry Caro, president of Bartholomew Communications and Strategies, declined to comment. Besides Fix the City, some of the labor unions backing Cuomo, like the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and the District Council of Carpenters, have launched field efforts for him, too. Unlike Fix the City, those labor unions are also focusing on driving turnout for various other candidates they are backing in down-ballot races. Cuomo, a moderate Democrat who resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual misconduct and pandemic mismanagement accusations he denies, continues to poll as the favorite to win Tuesday's primary. Mamdani, a democratic socialist running on a platform that includes a promise to freeze rent for stabilized tenants, has recently closed in on Cuomo in some polls, though. Field operation is perhaps the one campaigning area in which Cuomo has lagged behind Mamdani. Mamdani's army of some 42,000 unpaid volunteers are managed by 14 full-time campaign staffers who have for months been getting paid tens of thousands of dollars for that work. Though most of its volunteers aren't paid, Mamdani's campaign does also employ 54 paid canvassers and expects to spend about $185,000 in total on that front, according to a rep. When Fix the City is factored in, tens of millions of dollars have been spent on television ads and campaign mailers advertising Cuomo's bid to become the next mayor. Early voting in the mayoral race started last weekend. New Yorkers can continue voting early through Sunday and will then have a final chance to cast their ballots on Primary Day.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Bloomberg Arts Internship Opens Up An Industry To Vital New Talent
Bloomberg Arts interns make their final presentations, August 2024, New York City. When measuring economic activity, it's easy to overlook the arts. They are an ornament, people say. A nice-to-have luxury. A sector with hazy and intangible returns. And the riskiest career you could ever choose. All typical—even pervasive—beliefs. But moving into the second quarter of the 21st century, also outdated. With the rise of AI, the culture industry offers jobs that reward human skills and return quantifiable value back to the community. The Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI), a program of Bloomberg Philanthropies, supports this changing role of arts and culture. By awarding stipends to rising high school seniors and assisting the organizations who bring them in as interns, BAI helps young people better understand the cultural sector and develop qualities that will help them succeed in college and beyond. The Bloomberg Arts Internship was the inspiration of author and Bloomberg Philanthropies board member Walter Isaacson. According to Kate D. Levin, who oversees the Arts Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, Isaacson made the perceptive observation that in large cities like New York, culture is a major industry but one with limited career access, especially for young people from underserved communities who don't have connections and can't afford an unpaid internship. That aligned with Michael Bloomberg's long-standing belief in the importance of urban areas and his support of overlooked communities. So, in 2012 the Bloomberg Arts Internship was created with the goal of opening up an industry to new talent. Kamora Monroe and Tyhe Cooper at the Bloomberg Arts Internship final presentations, August 2024. Tyhe Cooper, Production Editor at the arts journal Brooklyn Rail and a BAI mentor, explained the core issue that BAI is working to solve. 'I don't come from a wealthy background—cultural or otherwise,' said Cooper. 'So understanding how to enter the art world was very confusing for me. You're not able to get the experience that everyone is asking for because that experience is only available through unpaid positions.' The problem is equal access to that experience. And arts organizations have not been transparent about why it doesn't happen, said Wei Du, BAI mentor and Assistant Director of Public Programs at the Queens Botanical Garden. 'There's very little room for formal growth and formal development in the cultural sector. It's just people climbing the ladder in all kinds of backdoor ways. They should have a clean pathway into these skills, these responsibilities and these competencies.' BAI interns, Karandeep Singh and Markayla Pollack, planning their Christmas ornament making workshop ... More in the QBG Education Department office. It's not only fairness. Growing the intern population equitably serves the mission of many organizations. 'We have a uniquely diverse audience, even compared to the other institutions in New York,' Du continued. 'We're not trying to serve one or two demographics that happen to be in our neighborhood. We really are a garden for the world. And having interns come through the Bloomberg Arts Internship allows us to have a workforce that's reflective of our audience. They bring things that you can't put a price on in terms of cultural literacy, in terms of language skills and perspective.' In addition to their onsite work, BAI interns attend weekly Bloomberg-led workshops on college readiness and professional development. They have writing instruction, learn how to create a resume and LinkedIn profile, and practice public speaking. Their mentors, however, see even greater value in the immediacy of what happens on the job. 'When you're doing an exercise just to do an exercise, it can feel like homework again,' explained Abbey McClain, Executive Director of Touchstone Gallery & Foundation in Washington, D.C. 'But if you have to write an email to communicate with an artist or interview an artist, it's real life. You're thinking about it. You're doing your rereading. You're looking it over and asking your friend to review it. You're doing all the things that are real life. And you take it seriously.' Before schools and degrees, this on-the-job learning was more common. Medieval guilds introduced young people to the realities and possibilities of work at an early age, and that model continued until relatively recently. Our modern educational landscape is more varied than the master and apprentice model, but the same benefits of learning-by-doing still apply. Kamora Monroe, Production Intern, with the Brooklyn Rail's July/August 2024 issue. When Kamora Monroe, a graduating senior at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, began her internship with Brooklyn Rail, her mentors and supervisors Tyhe Cooper and Charles Schultz made sure that she worked in every area of the journal's operation. That included artist and gallery outreach, research, writing, editing and production. After a few months, Monroe was assigned to cover 'Monuments of Solidarity,' LaToya Ruby Frazier's 2024 show at the Museum of Modern Art. The review she wrote has a strong point of view. Monroe owns her perspective and gives the reader a reason to see the exhibit. 'I was very, very grateful to be able to do that, because this is no one's first job—ever,' Monroe remembered. 'The people [at Brooklyn Rail] saw me as an individual who was smart enough and worthy enough to do something like that. At the time, I didn't see myself that way. A 16-year-old girl from Midwood High School writing and publishing an art review? It's unheard of.' This kind of work experience is rare for teenagers who don't have resources or family connections, and that's part of what makes it so valuable. 'The fast-food industry is an enormous vector of employment—and that's great,' said Levin. 'But these roles are much more nuanced in terms of the interpersonal demands.' Bloomberg Artist Internship, 2014 cohort, New York City. That was certainly the case for Celeste Lannen, a BAI high school intern in 2014. She did outreach that summer with the Dance Theater of Harlem, getting on the phone with public schools to promote their scholarship programs. It was all new for Lannen, who stretched beyond her comfort zone as spokesperson of a storied cultural organization. But ten years on, that experience led to where she is now. Lannen is Assistant Director of Collective by 92NY/Talks at the 92nd Street Y. She runs their Young Patrons program, booking and producing events for young audiences. 'I'm programming talks with artists, authors, celebrities that would appeal to people in their 20s and 30s,' said Lannen. 'I reach out to publicists and a lot of them reach out to me. Being able to make a pitch started at BAI, and I'm still doing that to this day, figuring out how to put our best foot forward to compel people to want to come and speak on our stage.' Last year, BAI facilitated more than 1,100 internships with 150 organizations in seven cities—Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. In 2026 the program will expand into Los Angeles. All BAI interns start as rising high school seniors and then have the option to continue with their mentoring organization through their senior year. More recently, BAI began offering opportunities for committed students to extend that partnership into college. A new alumni network in all seven cities makes sure that interns support one another as they make the transition into their first careers. How successful is the program? According to Kate D. Levin, close to 60% of interns place out of remedial writing when they get to college. And the program's alumni enroll in college at rates nearly 30% higher than the national average. But the human relationships that students cultivate may, ultimately, be the most enduring measure of BAI's impact. Executive Director, Abbey McClaine, with Touchstone Gallery Assistants Daryle Locko and Arthur Webb, ... More and BAI interns London Wright, Erin Kilgore and Taylor Freeman after an installation. For Abbey McClain of Touchstone Gallery, it's her ongoing connection with former interns that show the real strength of BAI. McClain makes sure they feel comfortable calling or texting anytime for advice. As she said, many of the same issues around networking, maintaining contacts, and navigating job searches and interviews will follow her interns from high school to college and beyond. And, finally, there's the pride on both sides in seeing growth and promise fulfilled. Tyhe Cooper of Brooklyn Rail remembered watching Kamora Monroe deliver her final presentation at Bloomberg Philanthropies headquarters. 'When Kamora talked about what she'd done and what she'd learned it was beautiful. I got really emotional about it.' 'Some of these folks are so talented,' said McClain. 'You can't wait until they become your colleagues. You can't wait until they take over your office when you retire.'
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
From AOC to Bloomberg, here are some key endorsements in the NYC mayoral Democratic primary election
New York City's mayoral primary election is well underway with early voting, and the leading Democratic candidates have picked up some key endorsements in the final stretch of the race. CBS News New York's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer sat down with J.C. Polanco, assistant professor at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, and political consultant O'Brien Murray to discuss why these endorsements matter. Bloomberg endorses Cuomo The biggest endorsement, to date, appears to be the decision by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to endorse former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "Huge endorsement for former Gov. Cuomo. Why? Because [former] Mayor Bloomberg talks to a specific type of voter -- down the Upper East Side corridor, down the Upper West Side corridor, up to Park Slope and Brooklyn. He talks to voters that come out in large propensities that are Democrats, that will cross over to vote Republican," Polanco said. "By endorsing former Gov. Cuomo, he gives them the green light -- you can support this guy, forget about the baggage you've heard about, he's the guy that I trust -- and they trust Bloomberg, this is going to be great for Cuomo." "There are three things that [former] Mayor Bloomberg brings: Money, money and money. With that comes ... polling, it will help him in the polling, number one. Number two, it will help him with fundraising. Number three, it will help him with voters on Election Day," said Murray. "But at the end of the day, Bloomberg's people were donating to this campaign before and donating to the Super PAC, according to published reports. If that continues, you could see Bloomberg money go to a Super PAC and Bloomberg donors go to a Cuomo campaign." In his announcement, Bloomberg did not mention Cuomo's sexual harassment or nursing home scandals. Bloomberg said there are no perfect candidates, and while Cuomo may not be a perfect choice, he is the best choice. "I think it's perfect, I think we all know the baggage that former Gov. Cuomo has, he doesn't have to remind people of it, it's baked into former Gov. Cuomo's candidacy. And again, it gives the green light to Democrats that are Bloomberg Democrats -- these are independent democrats that really loved his mayoralty -- and this endorsement reminds them of those good 12 years that they enjoyed, and he's giving them the green light," Polanco said. "I was lucky enough to work in a race with Mayor Koch about 10 years ago and this reminds me of the Mayor Koch quote: 'If you agree with me 10 out of 10 times, you're crazy. If you agree with me 8 out of 10 times, please vote for me.' Because that's Michael Bloomberg's quote, basically what he's saying there is no New Yorker is going to agree with any candidate across the board and if they do, they are crazy," said Murray. "But right now, [former] Mayor Bloomberg is most important for this. It adds credibility, it adds money and it adds stability at a time when we see New York's future uncertain." Polanco again called it a "huge endorsement," adding, "If you ask New Yorkers in the street, like you do, 'What do you think of [former] Mayor Bloomberg?' you're going to hear positive, rave reviews. This is someone who won three consecutive terms as mayor of New York City." "Progressives never supported Cuomo, they never supported Bloomberg. Everyone else that's not a progressive will come out in droves as much as they can and the energy they have, because they want New York to be what Bloomberg had and not what [Bill] de Blasio had and not what the future could be under anything that progressive," Murray added. Fellow Democratic candidate State Sen. Jessica Ramos made the shocking move to endorse Cuomo, telling her supporters to rank him number one. Ramos had been a harsh critic of the former governor but said she now believes he's the best person to take on President Trump. Cuomo also received endorsements from his predecessor, former New York Gov. David Paterson, and from Jewish community groups, including Ahronim, the Bobov community in Borough Park, Crown Heights PAC, Crown Jewish United and the Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance. CLICK HERE for more from his campaign. AOC & Sanders endorse Mamdani Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani received a high-profile endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the race. "I think most New Yorkers recognize that there was no other candidate for AOC to support. He is the socialist candidate, AOC is socialist. I think viewers would be as surprised as finding out I'm Latino, they know I'm Latino, they know that AOC was going to support the socialist," said Polanco. "It doesn't bring any new voters, because all those voters and endorsements that Mamdani brought to the table, it was already baked in." "I disagree and here's why: Because it didn't go to [Brad] Lander, and Lander needed it. Not only did he not get it, Adrienne Adams was ranked higher," Murray said, referring to Ocasio-Cortez's full ranked choice voting list. "At this point, when you have a situation where you have an opportunity for Adrienne Adams to get some wind in her sails and AOC behind her, after Mamdani, that is something that hurt Brad Lander like you wouldn't believe." Mamdani later received another endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, and the Queens socialist has taken advantage of ranked choice voting to align himself with fellow candidates Comptroller Brad Lander and former state Assemblyman Michael Blake, in part, to unite against Cuomo in the polls. "Four years ago, we wound up with one of the worst mayors in our history, largely because the two top alternatives in the race did not come together and join forces to cross-endorse each other. We can't afford to make that mistake again," Lander said when they announced their cross-endorsement. Polanco said it's all about addition. "Being ranked on that sheet matters," he said. "It's important for each candidate to get as much support as possible from their fellow candidates on each side, because as they drop off the count, the idea is that their supporters will now have their entire support moving forward. And that matters at a game in which a few votes may decide who's going to be the winner." Mamdani has also received an endorsement from state Sen. John Liu, who represents Queens and made history as the first Asian American to win citywide office. CLICK HERE for more from Mamdani's campaign. NYT sounds off on Lander, Mamdani While not, technically, an endorsement, a panel of New York Times opinion experts picked Lander as the best overall choice to run the city. "In the end, a veteran civic leader and elected official, Brad Lander, the city comptroller, emerged as the top overall choice among the panelists, including four who recently shifted away from Mr. Cuomo, Mr. Mamdani and other candidates," the piece read. "Mr. Lander was also cited as best on education, the economy and leadership. Those who favored him cited his experience in city government and his ability to work with others — but, truth be told, he also benefited from lacking the heavy baggage of Mr. Cuomo and the democratic socialist image of Mr. Mamdani." While the newspaper's Editorial Board no longer does endorsements, the story could still have a major impact on the race. The board's 2021 endorsement of Kathryn Garcia provided a significant boost to her campaign. CLICK HERE for more from Lander's campaign. The board has since come out against Mamdani, writing, "We do not believe that Mr. Mamdani deserves a spot on New Yorkers' ballots. His experience is too thin and his agenda reads like a turbocharged version of Mr. de Blasio's dismaying mayoralty," in reference to former Mayor Bill de Blasio. Mamdani shrugged off the criticism. "These are the opinions of about a dozen New Yorkers, and a democracy will be decided by close to a million New Yorkers. They certainly have the right to their opinions, and New Yorkers have the right to their votes," he said. AG James for Speaker Adams Meanwhile, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams received endorsements from state Attorney General Letitia James and DC37, the city's largest municipal employee union. "Adrienne Adams is a fearless leader who puts people over politics. She has repeatedly stood up for New Yorkers and won, keeping libraries open and protecting childcare for families. She is leading the City's fight against the Trump administration, including keeping ICE out of Rikers. I'm proud to endorse Adrienne as my number one choice for Mayor and look forward to having her in the fight to protect New York City," James said in a statement. Murray noted that while James endorsed Adams, it was Mamdani who helped the speaker raise enough money to access the city's matching funds. "That's the most amazing thing here. The Upstart did more for her to raise money and get her on the map than Tish James did," said Murray. "And it was all about social media," Polanco added. CLICK HERE for more from Adams' campaign. Other Democratic candidates Use the following links for a closer look at each candidate's endorsements: Police unions holding out until general election Murray also pointed out the city's police unions are not making an endorsement in the race. "I think what they're trying to do is figure out what they have to or can do for Mayor Adams. They do not want to go against the incumbent right now, and they don't have to in the primary," he explained. "Because once they go for somebody in this primary, they're stuck with that person in the general. This gives them a full boat to wait until deciding what to do after the summer." contributed to this report.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Why establishment Democrats still can't stomach progressive candidates like Zohran Mamdani
Who's afraid of Zohran Mamdani? The answer, it would seem, is the entire establishment. The 33-year-old democratic socialist and New York City mayoral candidate has surged in the polls in recent weeks, netting endorsements not just from progressive voices like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders but also his fellow candidates for the mayoralty, with Brad Lander and Michael Blake taking advantage of the ranked-choice voting system in the primary and cross-endorsing Mamdani's campaign. With the primary just around the corner, polls have Mamdani closing the gap on Andrew Cuomo, the disgraced former governor of New York. This has spooked the establishment, which is now doing everything it can to stop Mamdani's rise. Take Michael Bloomberg, who endorsed Cuomo earlier this month and followed this up with a $5m donation to a pro-Cuomo Pac. The largesse appears motivated not by admiration for Cuomo – during his mayoralty, sources told the New York Times that Bloomberg saw Cuomo as 'the epitome of the self-interested, horse-trading political culture he has long stood against' – but animosity towards Mamdani and his policies. Mamdani wants to increase taxes on residents earning more than $1m a year, increase corporate taxes and freeze rents: policies that aren't exactly popular with the billionaire set. Bronx congressman Ritchie Torres (who was once progressive but moved steadily away from that and now receives fundraising assistance from far-right donors) is another establishment Democrat trying to prevent a Mamdani win at all costs. Torres, who makes his pro-Israel positions explicit, has criticized Mamdani for pro-Palestine comments. Torres has even said he won't run for governor in 2026 if a socialist like Mamdani becomes the mayor because it will 'revolutionize the political landscape'. The New York Times' editorial board is also aghast at Mamdani's sudden popularity. On Monday, it published a piece urging New Yorkers to completely leave the candidate off their ranked-choice ballot, arguing that the assemblyman is woefully underqualified for office and has a bunch of wacky progressive ideas that will never work including free buses and frozen rent. The Times, which announced almost a year ago that it will not make endorsements in local elections, did not officially endorse a candidate but it certainly didn't tell people not to put Cuomo on the ballot. It seems being accused of sexually harassing multiple women and then going after those women in an aggressive and intrusive way (including demanding gynecological records) isn't as disqualifying as progressive policies. And, of course, the sexual harassment is just one of many scandals that Cuomo has weathered, including allegations he covered up nursing home deaths during the pandemic. The Atlantic also came out with an anti-Mamdani piece, albeit one that was more subtle and which focused on the process rather than the personality. Staff writer Annie Lowrey argued that ranked-choice voting in a mayor primary, used by New York City since 2021, is not truly democratic: 'Without ranked-choice voting, Cuomo would probably steamroll his competition. With ranked-choice voting, Mamdani could defeat him.' While there are problems with ranked choice (as there are with first-past-the-post systems), I think the bigger democratic threat might be a system in which a billionaire can swoop in with millions to prop up their preferred candidate at the last minute. All of this is anti-Mamdani mobilization is depressingly predictable: the Democratic establishment is allergic to fresh blood and new thinking. Shortly after Trump won the election last year, and the Democrats also lost the House and the Senate, Ocasio-Cortez launched a bid to become the lead Democrat on the House oversight committee, which is an important minority leadership position. Ocasio-Cortez has become a lot more establishment-friendly since getting into power in 2018 (New York Magazine even decreed in 2023 that she is just a 'Regular Old Democrat Now'), but she's still not centrist enough for the Democrats, it seems. Nancy Pelosi reportedly sabotaged the 35-year-old congresswoman's ambitions and ensured that 74-year-old Gerry Connolly, who had esophagus cancer at the time, got the job instead. Connolly died age 75 earlier this year, becoming the sixth House Democrat to have died in office in 12 months. Then there's the Democratic backlash to David Hogg, the young Parkland shooting survivor turned politico. The 25-year-old was briefly vice-chair of the Democratic national committee but stepped on powerful toes by criticizing the party for its 'seniority politics'. Hogg, who has said that he's worried about his generation losing faith in democracy, pitched competitive primaries which challenged Democratic incumbents who'd become too complacent, injecting new blood into the party. This did not go down well and various members of the DNC had voted to hold new vice-chair elections that could have led to his ouster. Instead of waiting to be kicked out, Hogg recently said he'd step away from the role. I am not a Mamdani evangelist, but while some of his ideas are a little pie in the sky, he's authentic and ready to fight for normal people rather than corporate interests. Sure, he doesn't have a lot of experience. But he has a huge amount of potential. He's managed to get at least 26,000 New Yorkers to volunteer for him. And I don't mean they've sent a couple of text messages: one week they knocked on almost 100,000 doors. Michael Spear, a professor of history and political science at a Brooklyn college, told Jacobin the degree to which Mamdani's campaign has galvanized New York City voters is unprecedented: 'I don't think there is anything like it' in New York history. Nobody in the Democratic establishment is quite so delusional that they think the party is doing great. Everyone knows there is a need for change and yet they seem keen to sabotage anyone who might bring that change. Instead of rallying around fresh talent like Mamdani that can clearly mobilize young voters, the Democrats are mulling a $20m plan to try to manufacture a 'Joe Rogan of the left' who can connect with young men, rather than support an authentic grassroots candidate who is already connecting with them. Will centrist interests prevail in New York? We won't know until, at the very earliest, late on primary night, 24 June. Whatever happens, though, you can bet that Democrats will continue to do their very best to kneecap anyone who wants to drag them way from their obsession with doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
New York Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Cuomo Wins Endorsement From a Former Governor Who Once Backed Adams
A day after former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo landed the coveted endorsement of Michael R. Bloomberg in his bid to become mayor of New York City, Mr. Cuomo was backed by two more name-brand politicians on Wednesday. The latest endorsements came from former Gov. David Paterson and Keith L.T. Wright, the chairman of the Manhattan Democratic Party. Four years ago, both men had backed the current mayor, Eric Adams, who is now running as an independent. 'We were with him when he ran,' Mr. Paterson said. 'We thought he was doing a good job until he had these problems,' referring to Mr. Adams's federal corruption indictment that was dropped earlier this year by the Trump administration. Mr. Paterson suggested that Mr. Adams seemed beholden to President Trump in a way that was incompatible with how a Democratic mayor of New York City should act. 'Some of the statements,' Mr. Paterson said, 'have been far more supportive than I think the president deserves.' With early voting for the Democratic primary for mayor set to begin on Saturday and the final debate of the primary set for Thursday, the two front-runners, Mr. Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani, have been engaged in a battle to secure influential endorsements. Mr. Cuomo on Wednesday also picked up the backing of the Satmars, a large Orthodox Jewish group in Brooklyn and part of an important voting bloc. A day earlier, he was backed by Mr. Bloomberg, who rarely wades into New York City primary squabbles. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
