Newsweek has a must-read profile of Bill de Blasio’s efforts to become the left-wing standard-bearer in the New York City mayoral race.

“But de Blasio’s most important maneuver has been to capitalize on liberal frustration with Mayor Mike Bloomberg–and with Quinn, who set herself up as his ideological heir and was long the presumed frontrunner in the race. Quinn’s campaign platform was essentially a reassuring message to centrist voters that the gains of the Bloomberg years–in a city where crime and grime have been replaced by bike lanes and beach access on the waterfront–would not be lost. Unfortunately for her, it turned out that many liberals were sick of Bloomberg and wanted someone more, well, liberal.”

Explaining his decision to campaign for Steve Lonegan (R) in New Jersey, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) jabbed at Cory Booker (D) as a politician with “an imaginary friend with imaginary problems” — an allusion to stories Booker has told about a Newark drug lord named “T-Bone,” whom he has said he befriended, Politico reports.

New York City’s Democratic power brokers moved “to prevent a combative sequel to the party’s primary for mayor, as union officials and political leaders rallied around the front-runner, Bill de Blasio, and urged the second-place finisher, William Thompson to end his quest for a runoff election,” the New York Times reports.

“On a day of back-room maneuvering and deal-making, Mr. Thompson’s own inner circle appeared divided over how, or even whether, to proceed.”

Ruby Cramer: “There was one question Anthony Weiner didn’t want to answer — maybe couldn’t answer — in his final moments as a contender for mayor of New York City, the only job he’s ever wanted: ‘What’s your plan for tomorrow?'”

“That’s what Shimon Prokupecz, a reporter for WNBC-TV, hollered at Weiner as he came bounding from Connolly’s Pub & Restaurant, the site of his emotional concession speech, across the sidewalk and into a car idling on 47th Street. But Prokupecz didn’t get his answer. Weiner jumped inside, rolled up the window, and flashed his middle finger instead before speeding away.”

“Sleazy come, sleazy go.”

— New York Post, on both Eliot Spitzer and Anthony Weiner losing their attempted comeback races after sex scandals.

First Read: “While it’s always prudent to not overstate the results of a special election — especially one in which Colorado voters weren’t allowed to vote by mail (as many of them usually do) and especially with control in the state Senate not changing hands — the political situation there is one to watch over the next year. Since 2004, no state has become more Democratic-leaning than Colorado: Obama won twice there; Democrats have won every U.S. Senate and gubernatorial contest; and Dems control the legislature. But the recall results will invigorate Colorado Republicans (as well as pro-gun groups and voters). The question is if a vulnerable Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) can win re-election in 2014, and if Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) can still cruise to victory next year. If the answer to these questions is “no,” then the Democrats’ streak in Colorado will come to an end. And that would be a big deal.”

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli told NBC Richmond that he was questioned by federal investigators about the gifts given to him by Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams, but says he “was never the target of any investigation.”

Said Cuccinelli: “Yes, I was asked questions about Jonnie. But that was months and months ago.”

A new Rutgers-Eagleton poll in New Jersey finds Cory Booker (D) leading Steve Lonegan (R) in the special U.S. Senate election, 64% to 29%.

Eliot Spitzer lost his bid for political redemption as he was defeated in the Democratic primary for New York City comptroller by Scott Stringer, 52% to 48%, the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Spitzer resigned as governor five years ago in a prostitution scandal, and Mr. Stringer repeatedly invoked it during their brief but bitter campaign. Again and again he painted Mr. Spitzer as a rich man who believed that he could escape the consequences of breaking the law.”

The New York Post says Spitzer seemed to suggest this may be his last run for office: “I’ve never regretted a single day of my public service.”

Bill de Blasio, “whose campaign for mayor of New York tapped into a city’s deepening unease with income inequality and aggressive police practices, captured far more votes than any of his rivals in the Democratic primary on Tuesday,” the New York Times reports.

“But as Mr. de Blasio, an activist-turned-operative and now the city’s public advocate, celebrated a remarkable come-from-behind surge, it was not clear if he had won the 40 percent needed to avoid a runoff election on Oct. 1 with William C. Thompson Jr., who finished second.”

New York Daily News: “The latest tally showed de Blasio had 40.2% of the vote, just a whisker more than the 40% needed to win the nomination without a runoff. Thompson had 26%. But with tens of thousands of votes outstanding — including 19,000 paper ballots — it appeared that it would take the city’s embattled Board of Elections at least several days to sort it all out.”

Ken Cuccinelli (R) “took steps to shed any remaining ties with Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams Sr. by donating to charity the cash equivalent of the $18,000 in gifts he’s taken from the troubled dietary supplement maker,” the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

“The move is a significant strategy shift for Cuccinelli, trailing Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the polls in a bitter and contentious election in which the ethics of both men have been challenged by the other.”

An explanatory video from Cuccinelli shows how damaging he thinks this has been to his campaign.

[Read more…]

New York City voters “will take the first big step toward choosing a successor to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, in a contest that has increasingly turned on crucial elements of his legacy on public safety and income inequality,” the New York Times reports.

“But despite a widely publicized free-for-all among multiple candidates, fewer than one in four Democrats and Republicans are expected to vote in the party primaries.”

Stu Rothenberg says that Terry McAuliffe (D) “has established himself as a narrow but clear front-runner” over Ken Cuccinelli (R) in the race for Virginia governor.

“Given McAuliffe’s advantage and Democrats’ success in defining Cuccinelli as unacceptable, the Democrat now deserves to be regarded as the favorite in the contest. Because of that, we are moving this race from a Tossup to Lean Democrat.”

A new Quinnipiac poll in New York City shows Scott Stringer breaking out of the too-close-to-call comptroller’s race with Eliot Spitzer and now leads 50% to 43%.

Said pollster Maurice Carroll: “Stringer has the momentum as he overcomes a huge publicity
blitz by Spitzer. He’s not home free, but he looks to be on the plus side of the
racial split with a big white vote offsetting the almost as big black vote for Spitzer.”

A new Public Policy Polling survey in New York City finds Bill de Blasio on the cusp of winning the Democratic nomination outright Tuesday. He’s at 38%, followed by William Thompson at 19%, Christine Quinn at 13%, Anthony Weiner at 9%, and John Liu at 5%.

A new Quinniapiac poll finds De Blasio leads with 39%, followed by Thompson at 25%, Quinn at 18%, Weiner at 6%, and John Liu at 4%.

A new Wall Street Journal/NBC/Marist Poll in New York City finds Bill de Blasio has the support of 36% of likely Democratic voters in the race for mayor, followed by Christine Quinn at 20%, Bill Thompson at 20% and Anthony Weiner at 7%.

De Blasio’s showing puts him within striking distance of the 40% needed in the primary to avoid a runoff for the party’s nomination.

Cory Booker (D) showed 15 years of his tax returns to a handful of reporters on Friday, Politico reports, showing “small amounts given to charity, including in years when his earnings from paid speeches skyrocketed.”

Booker told the New York Times earlier this year that he has “given away hundreds and hundreds of thousands” of his speaking fees. But according to the filings, he gave about $150,000 total to charity over 14 years.

A new Rasmussen survey in Virginia shows Terry McAuliffe (D) has opened up a seven-point lead over Ken Cuccinelli (R) in the Virginia gubernatorial race, 45% to 38%.