Polling Underway-8 Candidates in the Poll–All Options on the Table including Mayor Mike Part 4?
By Dan Murphy
YonkersTimes.com has acquired a poll circulated among democrats in Yonkers and Westchester asking Who Would You Support to be Our Next Mayor? The poll was conducted last month (Dec. 2021). We have been unable to determine who paid for the poll, or which political operative or consulting firm oversaw it. “This poll is being conducted by a Yonkers Democrat. Your response in anonymous,” states the poll, which is pictured above, and which we received from a notable Yonkers and Westchester democrat.
There are 8 names on the poll, but opinions were mixed as to whether the next Mayor would come from this list of 8, or whether someone else will lead New York State’s third largest city on Jan. 1, 2024.
In fact, some democrats thought that it was way too early to start thinking about Mayoral candidates in 2023. “Two years are an eternity in politics,” said one of several Yonkers and Westchester democrats we spoke to. “Why anyone is polling Yonkers democrats the week before Christmas and two years before the next Mayor’s race is nuts.”
But once we were able to verify that the poll was sent to several Yonkers democrats, opinions and predictions started coming in. “That’s a pretty accurate list of the 8 Yonkers democrats, one of who will be our next Mayor. I also think that there are two tiers of candidates on this list, with several running for Mayor if one of the top tier candiates decides not to run. And I think most of this comes down to whether Mayor Spano will run for a 4th term. If he does, then many of these 8 candidates bows out,” said one Yonkers Democratic Party leader. But if you are not on this list of 8, then you are not going to be our next Mayor.”
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano has just completed his 10th year in office. After being elected twice, supporters of the Mayor changed the City’s term limits law to permit him to run for a third term, which he won, easily defeating republican Mario De Giorgio.
The City would have to amend its term limits law once again, this year (2022) to permit Spano to run for a fourth term, if he decides to run. All the talk about a fourth term for Mayor Spano has been rejected by those close to him, saying that he, and his family, are ready to move on to another part of their future.
But lately, the buzz has returned to Yonkers City Hall that while still unlikely, don’t rule out completely, a Spano for Mayor part 4.
“I think that Mayor Spano clears most of the names off this list if he decides to run for a fourth term,” said a Yonkers democrat and a supporter of Mayor Spano. “There’s a reason why he was elected three times. The voters are satisfied with the job he has done, and that gives him a chance to run again. The office of Yonkers Mayor does burn you out, and after 12 years i’m sure that he is tired, and that his wife and kids would like see him ease into an easier job. But if he wants it, I would put Mike Spano at the top of the list.”
Some other democrats felt exactly the opposite about a Mayor Spano part 4. “This is taking what Mayor Bloomberg did in New York City to another level. I think that many Yonkers democrats are feeling a bit of Spano fatigue, and I believe that is why this poll was taken, to see if there is any desire or willingness for Mayor Spano to run again. And if this poll comes back with a lot of Yonkers Democrats saying no, then you have other candidates that Mayor Spano could support to suceed him, including his brother Vinny Spano, Yonkers Democratic chair Tom Meier, and Councilman John Rubbo,” said a Yonkers progressive democrat.
State Senator Shelley Mayer had the support of many Yonkers democrats we spoke to about this poll, and if she decided to run, would be the one other elected official that could be elected Mayor, regardless of whether Spano decides to run again.
“Shelly Mayer would clear the field of most democrats on this list, and some others that aren’t on this list. She is widely respected and one of Yonkers most popular democrats. I think a lot of Yonkers democrats want someone to serve as the next Mayor who can take the city to the next level, on many different fronts. The people of the third largest City in NY deserve the best,” said one Yonkers democrat.
But while most believe that Sen. Mayer would make the most logical candiate for Mayor next to Spano, most also believe that she won’t run for Mayor in 2023. “I would love to see Mayer for Mayor in Yonkers in two years, but I think that Shelley is happy doing what she is doing and she understands what a challenge it is to get elected and then having to serve. The question is, how do we get Shelley to drop her political career in Albany and come to Yonkers and fix the ills of our city. I can’t answer that,” said another Yonkers Democratic party leader.
“I think Shelley Mayer is the Spano’s worst nightmare, but I don’t think she has the desire to take it on, especially if Mayor Mike decides to run again,” said a Westchester democratic leader.
Assemblyman Nader Sayegh also had the support of several democrats we spoke to. “I think Assemblyman Sayegh would make a great candidate, and would be a great Mayor of Yonkers. He has built a lot of bridges over his career in the Yonkers schools, and has the respect and admiration of teachers and stafff and unions in the Yonkers Public Schools. And those interest groups mean a lot in a democratic primary,” said one Yonkers democrat.
A few Yonkers democrats who are not in the poll were also mentioned by the dozen democrats we spoke to from Yonkers and Westchester. They include, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, Councilmember Shanae Williams, and former Council President Chuck Lesnick.
“Ken Jenkins is the one democrat not on this list who is very qualified to serve as Yonkers Mayor and would be a great candidate. But most of us in the Yonkers Democratic Party believe that Ken will be running as the demcoratic candidate for County Executive at some point, so we don’t plan on him running for Mayor,” said a leader in the Yonkers Democratic Party.
“Don’t overlook Chuck Lesnick,” said a Westchester Democrat. “He still wants to be Mayor and will have the support of many progressive democrats. Throw his name into the mix.”
“I think many democrats in Yonkers, and across Westchester County, were impressed by how good Shanae Williams did in her democratic primary against Tim Idoni for County Clerk last year. And because of her vote totals in that race, I think she has a chance to run and win for Mayor of Yonkers,” said a yonkers and county democrat.
Other Yonkers democrats thought that Tom Meier, John Rubbo, and Vinny Spano, all have a chance at the democratic nomination in two years, if Mayor Mike doesn’t run.
And other Yonkers democrats believed that a woman of color, either Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy, or Councilmember Corazon Pineda-Isaac, would be the next Mayor of Yonkers. “Council President Collins-Bellamy is the only other Yonkers democrat to have been elected citywide. She has done it once and could do it again.”
Supporters of Councilwoman Pineda-Isaac said, “Her recent defeat as Majority Leader should light a fire under her to go out and prove them wrong, run for Mayor and win,” said a Yonkers Dem. Party leader. “I still think Corazon is the strongest candidate for Mayor in Yonkers.”
Any thoughts on the poll or this story, are welcome. Email us at news@yonkerstimes.com.
