With a new poll out showing Democrat Bill de Blasio burying his Republican rival with a 50-point lead, GOP candidate Joe Lhota said he’s looking toward the debates and commercials to close the widening gap.
The three upcoming debates will be key, he said on “Good Day New York” Thursday morning, but “it’s more than just the debates, it’s also going to be also getting my message out on media, both paid media and free media,” said Lhota. “We need to get to a point where New Yorkers start to focus on the race and they’re not there yet it’s really fascinating to me.”
The new Quinnipiac poll showed de Blasio pulling even further ahead, winning 71-21% among likely voters.
Lhota released his first general-election television ad yesterday
.
On the morning show interview, Lhota continued to pound de Blasio for lacking the experience and resume for the city’s top job.
“Andrew Cuomo has said [Bill de Blasio’s] proposal is dead on arrival going up to Albany,” Lhota said, referring to de Blasio’s signature proposal to raise taxes on New Yorkers earning more than $500,000 a year to pay for universal pre-K and after school programs.
In fact, Cuomo has refused to comment on de Blasio’s proposal, saying he’ll look at it after the election. But a
new tax cut commission could spell trouble for de Blasio
.
“People like you,” pressed co-host Greg Kelly. “What they don’t see is the proverbial fire in the belly. Where’s Joe, why doesn’t he talk louder? Why doesn’t he get out there more? Why isn’t he more aggressive?”
Lhota defended himself.
“If people want me to jump up and down, I’ll do that, but I don’t think that’s what’s important to the people of the city of New York. They need to know what my message is.”
That message, the former deputy mayor and MTA chief said, has the experience to be mayor and de Blasio does not.
Lhota has about five weeks to turn the polls around.
IMAGE: ROBERT SABO/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS