1997 New York City mayoral election

1997 New York City mayoral election
← 1993 November 4, 1997 2001 →
 
Nominee Rudy Giuliani Ruth Messinger
Party Republican Democratic
Alliance Liberal
Popular vote 783,815 549,335
Percentage 57.7% 40.5%
Borough results
Giuliani:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Messinger:      50–60%
Mayor before election

Rudy Giuliani
Republican

Elected Mayor

Rudy Giuliani
Republican

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The New York City mayoral election of 1997 occurred on Tuesday November 4, 1997, with incumbent Republican mayor Rudy Giuliani soundly defeating Democratic Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger and several third-party candidates. This was the first time Brooklyn voted for a Republican since 1941.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Withdrew

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Declined

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General election

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Candidates

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In the general election, Giuliani had the Republican and Liberal ballot lines, but not the Conservative line. Giuliani had run on the same two ballot lines in his unsuccessful 1989 mayoral campaign and in his winning campaign in 1993.[3] Conservative Party leaders were unhappy with Giuliani on ideological grounds, citing the Liberal Party's endorsement statement that Giuliani "agreed with the Liberal Party's views on affirmative action, gun control, school prayer and tuition tax credits."[4]

Campaign

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Giuliani's opponent in 1997 was Democratic Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger, who had beaten Al Sharpton in the Democratic primary on September 9, 1997.[5] The results of the Democratic primary were contested in court by Sharpton, who argued that he qualified for a run-off election with Messinger.[6] Sharpton waited until October to endorse Messinger against Giuliani, and the endorsement was perceived by some as tepid.[7]

Giuliani ran an aggressive campaign, parlaying his image as a tough leader who had cleaned up the city. Giuliani's popularity was at its highest point to date, with a late October 1997 Quinnipiac University Polling Institute poll showing him as having a 68% approval rating; 70% of New Yorkers were satisfied with life in the city and 64% said things were better in the city compared to four years previously.[8]

Throughout the campaign, Giuliani was well ahead in the polls and had a strong fundraising advantage over Messinger. On her part, Messinger lost the support of several usually Democratic constituencies, including gay organizations and large labor unions.[9] All four daily New York newspapers—The New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, and Newsday—endorsed Giuliani over Messinger.[10] Two televised debates were held, but Messinger was unable to get traction in highlighting that Giuliani was interested in higher office and might not serve out a full second term.[11] Messinger claimed that the real mayor was not in evidence during the debates: "Let me point out that we're certainly seeing the nice Rudy Giuliani tonight."[11]

Results

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In the end, Giuliani won 58% of the vote to Messinger's 41%, becoming the first Republican to win a second term as Mayor of New York City since Fiorello H. LaGuardia in 1941.[5] Voter turnout was the lowest in 12 years, with only 38% of registered voters casting ballots.[12] The margin of victory was not quite as large as pre-election polls had predicted;[13] analysis of the vote showed that Giuliani made modest gains amongst African-American and Hispanic voters while maintaining his solid base of white, Asian and Jewish voters from 1993.[13]

In his acceptance speech, Giuliani acknowledged the image of divisiveness he had acquired during his first term and vowed to correct it: "Whether you voted for me or against me, whether you voted or didn't vote, I'm your Mayor, this is your administration. We have to do a better job of serving all of you. We have to reach out to all of you. And if we haven't, I apologize. I'm sorry and it is my personal commitment that we will try, endlessly and tirelessly, to bring all of you into the kind of success and optimism we have in this room."[12]

In her concession speech, Messinger said, "Tonight, we lost a battle but the war goes on ... Our schools still don't work ... and they are still worth fighting for. We gave it everything we had."[5]

Candidate Party Manhattan The Bronx Brooklyn Queens Staten Island Total %
Rudolph Giuliani Republican-Liberal 138,718 81,897 173,343 176,751 45,120 615,829 55.2%
50.9% 43.6% 53.3% 64.6% 78.6%
Ruth Messinger Democratic 128,478 102,979 145,349 92,194 10,288 479,288 42.9%
47.1% 54.8% 44.7% 33.7% 17.9%
All others 5,534 2,901 6,259 4,586 1,961 21,241 1.9%
2.0% 1.5% 1.9% 1.7% 3.4%
T O T A L
 272,730 187,777 324,951 273,531 57,369 1,116,358 100%

[14]

Voter demographics

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The 1997 NYC mayoral election by demographic subgroup[15]
Demographic subgroup Messinger Giuliani % of
total vote
Total vote 43 57 100
Ideology
Liberals 55 43 33
Moderates 38 61 42
Conservatives 23 72 23
Party
Democrats 54 45 61
Republicans 6 92 19
Independents/Other 34 65 19
Gender
Men 36 62 45
Women 45 54 55
Race
White 21 76 53
Black 79 20 21
Hispanic 57 43 20
Age
18–29 years old 40 59 15
30–44 years old 47 50 33
45–59 years old 42 56 26
60 and older 32 67 26
Family income
Under $15,000 56 42 16
$15,000–30,000 47 50 21
$30,000–50,000 42 57 24
$50,000–75,000 31 67 20
$75,000–100,000 33 61 9
Over $100,000 28 71 10
Union households
Union 45 52 42
Non-union 37 62 58
Religion
Protestant 55 43 13
Catholic 32 66 41
Other Christian 60 37 10
Jewish 27 72 23
Other 64 34 7
None 56 42 6

References

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  1. ^ Firestone, David (November 26, 1996). "Hevesi Says He Won't Run for Mayor, Citing Family and Desire to Remain Comptroller". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Schneider, Bill (January 3, 1997). "New York's Giuliani Makes Crime His Issue". CNN. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Lynn, Frank (July 21, 1989). "Giuliani Files 2 Challenges To Take Lauder off Ballot". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  4. ^ Bai, Matt (September 9, 2007). "America's Mayor Goes to America". The New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "AllPolitics - Giuliani Wins With Ease - Nov. 4, 1997". www.cnn.com. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  6. ^ Nagourney, Adam (September 19, 1997). "RACE FOR CITY HALL: THE OVERVIEW; Messinger Aims for Giuliani, and Sharpton Heads for Court". The New York Times.
  7. ^ Nagourney, Adam (October 13, 1997). "Sharpton and Messinger Seal Awkward Political Alliance". The New York Times.
  8. ^ "Giuliani Approval, Satisfaction With City Hit New Highs, Quinnipiac College Poll Finds; Mayor's Lead Over Messinger Nears 2–1" Archived 2008-01-12 at the Wayback Machine, Quinnipiac University Poll, October 29, 1997. Accessed June 24, 2007.
  9. ^ Beinart, Peter (November 10, 1997). "THE LAST OF THE LIBERALS". Time – via content.time.com.
  10. ^ Onishi, Norimitsu (October 27, 1997). "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: THE CAMPAIGNING; Giuliani Goes After Voters In Messinger's Stronghold". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Nagourney, Adam (October 30, 1997). "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: THE CANDIDATES; Giuliani Shrugs Off Messinger's Attacks in Debate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Nagourney, Adam (November 5, 1997). "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: THE OVERVIEW; GIULIANI SWEEPS TO SECOND TERM AS MAYOR; WHITMAN HOLDS ON BY A RAZOR-THIN MARGIN". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Firestone, David (November 6, 1997). "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: THE VOTERS; Big Victory, but Gains For Mayor Are Modest". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  14. ^ "Our Campaigns - New York City Mayor Race - Nov 04, 1997". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  15. ^ "New York City Exit Poll Results -- Nov. 4, 1997 (Mayor's Race)". www.cnn.com. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
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