What De Blasio's Presidential Run Means For NYC

NEW YORK — Now that Mayor Bill de Blasio is running for president, he has to balance the challenge of battling more than 20 other Democratic candidates with the task of running the nation's largest city. It's a test a mayor has not faced in more than four decades.

De Blasio's absence as he makes his case to voters in other states may irk New Yorkers, who are far from eager to see him seek the White House. But they probably won't feel it much in their everyday lives, politicos say, as the mayor's deputies and commissioners will stay at the reins of the city's day-to-day operations.

"New York City residents have never felt that he’s been involved in the grind that makes New York City government work. So it doesn’t matter," said veteran Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf. "... The bureaucracy is running this place. He’s not running it."

De Blasio has not shied away from travel as he's sought to build a national profile for himself during his tenure. But his presidential campaign will likely take him out of town far more frequently.

"I think he’s going to travel every weekend," Democratic consultant Bob Liff said. "I would think he’s going to be on the road three days a week, minimum."

De Blasio is wasting no time getting his campaign travel started. He's scheduled to swing through Iowa — the first presidential caucus state — on Friday and then travel to South Carolina before heading back north on Sunday, according to his campaign.

First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan serves as the acting mayor whenever de Blasio is out of town. If he's gone for more than nine days that title will fall to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, though Williams told NY1 that he's not expecting that to happen.

De Blasio said it will "depend on the week" how often he's in the city, but he sought to reassure reporters that he would be a present mayor.

"I’m going to be here a lot. I’m going to be constantly in touch," he told reporters Thursday. "Things are going to happen. You’re going to see it with your own eyes."

De Blasio kicked off his campaign less than two months before the July 1 deadline for him and the City Council to agree on a budget for the city's 2020 fiscal year.

The mayor unveiled his $92.5 billion executive budget last month, but the Council has its own desires. Speaker Corey Johnson outlined several criminal-justice reform proposals on Thursday that he said will be part of the budget negotiations.

Budget issues would be in capable hands in de Blasio's absence — Fuleihan was the director of the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget before ascending to his current post. While de Blasio will likely be around when talks get down to the wire, Liff said, it remains to be seen how closely he will be involved.

"As you negotiate the end of the budget, there are decisions that have to be made over time," Liff said. "Is he going to be here for those late nights when that final budget negotiation is going to be made?"

"There are going to be disputes between him and Johnson and him and the Council and that’s a minute-by-minute negotiation," Liff added. "Now I would assume he’s going to be here for that, 'cause he’s got to announce the budget, he and the speaker have to announce the budget together."

Johnson said de Blasio told him a few days ago that he'd be in touch as the negotiations proceed. But the speaker said he's willing to wait until the end of June to make sure the budget gets done right.

"That is the thing about New York City — people care about what’s happening on their block, in their neighborhood, at their subway stop, at their local school and park and local small business," Johnson told reporters. "So there’s a lot to do, and I think it’s important that when he does do this he needs to remain equally as focused on what happens here in the city."

Other mayors have had to manage political and governmental balancing acts. John Lindsay sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972, and Ed Koch ran for governor against then-Lt. Gov. Mario Cuomo in 1982. Both were unsuccessful.

While the city likely won't fall apart with de Blasio on the campaign trail, the mayor faces an uphill battle to avoid repeating history.

"They all met the same fate that every mayor throughout history has met when they try to seek other office," Liff said. "So that’s the problem."

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the circumstances of Ed Koch's run for governor in 1982. Mario Cuomo was the sitting lieutenant governor in that race, not the incumbent governor.