Edited by Dr Omar Faruque from New York.
Dated: 8th Nov. 2017:
[It may be Trump’s hometown, but it’s De Blasio’s city — and will be for the next four years.]
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has been reelected to a second term in office, The Associated Press reported not long after polls closed.
Polls ahead of voting on Tuesday projected a sweeping victory for de Blasio, a progressive Democrat who was first elected in 2013. His Republican opponent, New York state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis had long lagged behind de Blasio in the polls.
In his second term in office, de Blasio will be expected to push forward with a plan to offer free preschool to all 3-year-olds, as well as forge ahead with an effort to preserve or create affordable housing across the city.
He will also continue to oversee an effort to close Rikers Island, the infamous New York City jail complex that has long been the subject of outrage and controversy for its poor conditions and mistreatment of inmates.
De Blasio vowed earlier this year to shutter the complex — a process he said could take about 10 years. He will have left office by the time it’s completely closed down because New York City mayors are only permitted to serve two terms in office.
Voters shared one dominant sentiment: Bill de Blasio, the only progressive on the ballot, was better than the rest.
De Blasio’s victory comes one week after New York City saw the worst terror attack since 9/11. Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old Uzbekistan native and ISIS sympathizer, is accused of killing eight people and injuring 12 after driving a truck down a crowded bike lane near New York City’s World Trade Center on Halloween.
De Blasio’s first term was filled with feuds with New York’s Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and investigations into campaign donations and pay-to-play politics.
Just last month, a major de Blasio donor, Jona Rechnitz, testified that he gave money to the campaign in exchange for access and favors.
De Blasio said his relationship with the donor was “not a particularly close” one, despite the man’s claims.
Mayoral spokesman Eric Phillips rejected Rechnitz’ accusations, telling the New York Post that, “These are nothing but reheated, repackaged accusations that have been extensively reviewed and passed on by authorities at multiple levels.”
“The administration has never and will never make government decisions based on campaign contributions,” he added.
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