NYC Primary Results: De Blasio Wins

NEW YORK, NY — Mayoral incumbent Bill de Blasio will be the Democratic nominee in his bid for re-election.

De Blasio, who is vying for his second term in office, will face off against Republican Nicole Malliotakis, a City Councilwoman from Staten Island, in November. De Blasio sailed through to the Democratic nomination with more than 74 percent of the vote, according to the early election results reported by the AP.

De Blasio's only real competition in the Democratic race, Sal Albanese, conceded shortly after news outlets called the contest for de Blasio.

"We were outspent almost 40 to 1 by this mayor," Albanese said. "The outcome could have been better, but we did fairly well."

This was Albanese's third year running to be NYC mayor.

Public Advocate Tish James easily secured the Democratic nomination in her quest for re-election to the position. She will face off against a number of other candidates in November.

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Here's more on the lead-up to Tuesday's primary elections:

MAYOR

More than a dozen candidates are vying to de-throne mayoral incumbent Bill de Blasio, who is vying for his second term in office this year. De Blasio has spent the last year positioning himself as a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump, while touting a universal pre-K program for all city students and historically low crime rates across the city as some of his major first-term accomplishments.

But the mayor was also embroiled, and ultimately cleared, in a probe by federal prosecutors into his campaign's fundraising practices. Although prosecutors did not file criminal charges against de Blasio or his associates, the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan concluded that de Blasio or his colleagues often solicited donations from individuals seeking favors from the city, before later reaching out to city agencies on their behalf. Critics of de Blasio have also complained that he hasn't done enough to address the city's historic lack of affordable housing and a growing homeless population.

De Blasio appears almost certain to be the Democratic nominee, facing only one serious challenger, Sal Albanese. Albanese, a former city councilman, is running for mayor for the third time. The other Democrats running for the office are Michael Tolkin, Richard Bashner and Robert Gangi.

Nicole Malliotakis, a City Councilwoman from Staten Island, is currently running uncontested to be the Republican nominee.

Various other third-party candidates have thrown their names in the race, with two notable names sticking out of the pack. Akeem Browder, the brother of Kalief Browder, is running for office with the Green Party. Akeem's younger brother Kalief, who killed himself in 2015 at the age of 22, was held behind bars on Rikers Island for three years without a trial after he was accused of stealing a backpack. Kalief's story became one of the most widely-recognized condemnations of the jail system on Rikers Island and the cash bail system in New York City.

Former NYPD detective Bo Dietl is trying his luck as a libertarian candidate after he was rejected by local Republican Party leaders to run on their ticket. Dietl, a frequent Fox News contributor, compared a black state judge to the First Lady Chirlane McCray, who is also black. He described going to court in regards to a voter registration issue: "The judge looked like Charlene de Blasio," he said during a Republican event. "As soon as I saw her, I knew I had a problem." Republican Party leaders decided days later that Dietl should not run as a GOP candidate.

PUBLIC ADVOCATE

Incumbent Tish James also seems likely to maintain her position in city government. Only one other candidate, David Eisenbach, is running to be the Democratic nominee for the position. Eisenbach is a Columbia University professor and a host and producer for the History Channel, according to his campaign website. J. C. Polanco is the only Republican currently running for the office.

COMPTROLLER

Current comptroller Scott Stringer, a Democrat, faces three challengers in the general election but is the sole contender for the Democratic spot. His Republican challenger Michel Faulkner is a reverend and former professional football player.

In addition to these citywide races, the Brooklyn district attorney race will be a closely watched contest. Brooklyn district attorney Ken Thompson, regarded nationwide as a criminal justice reformer, died last year shortly after he announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer. Eric Gonzalez, one of Thompson's top deputies, has been serving as acting district attorney ever since. Gonzalez will face off against at least five other Democrats vying to be the nominee on Tuesday.

Around the city, residents can vote to decide who will represent them in City Council, with all but handful of the city's 51 districts preparing for contested races.

Image credit: Drew Angerer / Staff / Getty Images News