Democrat Bill de Blasio has an enormous 3-1 lead over R🌄epublican Joe Lhota g𝕴oing into the general election for mayor, according to a poll released Tuesday night.
De Blasio topped Lhota 65-22 percent among likely voters, with 9 per𒅌cent undecided, according to the Wall Street Journal/WNBC-4/Marist College🐓 survey.
De Blasio gained momentum following his dꦗominating come-from-behind performance in the♑ Democratic primary.
Lhota breezed to victory in𒈔 th𝕴e Republican primary — but as the heavy favorite he didn’t generate nearly as much coverage.
DeBlasio’s la🧸rge lead cut across just about every voting bloc.
About the best news for Lhota was that 30 percent of the voters questioned said they didn’t know enough about hi🌳m to fo🦄rm an opinion, meaning he still has a shot at winning them over.
Lhota’s campaign said 𒆙it fully expected to start f🍒rom behind.
“We always knew we’d be the underdog in this race and once New Yorkers learn more about BIll’s radical🌄 policies they will be looking for a practical alternative,” said Lhota spokeswoman Jessica Proud.
Before the poll was released, de Blasio continued picking up De👍mocratic endorไsements.
This time, however, the๊ backing was sweeter since it came from former arch-rival Christine Quinn, who had been trading harsh attacks with deBlasio for months.
But with the primary in the bag, de Blasio said his relentless criticism of the City Counc🎉il speaker for extending term limits — a centerpiece of his campaign — was a “moot” point.
“We had a differenc🌺e on term limits and that’s fine,” the Democratic nominee said, standing beside Quinn outside City Hall.
“That issue by the way is made moot by the peoples’ decision in 2010 which is now the law of New York Cit🌳y.”
He was referring to the referendum returning the two-term limit for city politicians after Quinn and Mayor Bloo🔯mberg overturned the law in 2008.
“As mature human beings and New Yorkers we understand that people are going to have differences,” he said, adding that he “respects Chri🐽stine Quinn for being a fierce competitor.”
For her part🅺, Quinn, shrugged off the campaign vitriol as water under the b𓃲ridge.
During the brutal primary, Quinn painted de Blasio as a two-faced, ineffective politician who cared more abꩲout garnering votes than building a substantive record.
But Tuesday she changed her tune.
“I’ve💜 got to tell you I trust Bill de Blasio. I believe he will be a terrific mayor of the city of New York,” she said.
The love-fest was an odd sight for two politici🌱ans who have long been at odds.
“They were both politically smart enough not to show it publicly but privately ♒they couldn’t hide their disd♔ain for each other,” said one long-time Council employee.
“They have such a depth of conflict that it’s just 🍌never going to go away easily. Plus, Quinn may be doing the right thing and being supportive but 🐓you know she’s not happy about it,” added a Democratic insider.
De Blasio spent the re♌st of the day meeting with po𒁃tential backers and raising funds.
Lhota made pilgrimages to entrenched Democrats to demonstrate he’s not a doctrꦺinaire Republican.
He had a closed-door meeting⭕ with District Council 37, the💯 left-leaning municipal union which endorsed de Blasio Tuesday.
Later, he met privately wiꦯth Al Sharpton in Harlem.
Sharpton described their 25-minute chat as “cordial and candid.”
Lhota said it was part of his plan to reach out to all 🌳segments of the city.
“I need to talk to all New Yorkers,” Lhota said.
He declined to disclose 🥂his conversations with the union leaders.
Instead, he took several jabs at de Blasio.
“I want to unite the city of New York not divide the city of New York,”
he said.
“I’m the onlyꦗ candidate running for mayor who will be ready on day one.
I’ve been budget director, I’ve been deputy mayor. I don’t need any on-the-job training. I’ve run the budget of the city 🍬of New York before. I’m looking forward to being able to run the city one more time.”
Additional reporting by Beth DeFalco