Lhota plagued by national Republicans in first mayoral debate
By MATTHEW DONDIEGO
When the New York City mayoral candidates met Tuesday night for the first of three televised debates, Democratic nominee de Blasio blasted his Republican challenger Joe Lhota for his close ties to the party being blamed for a two-week government shutdown.
De Blasio dominated the discussion, frequently laying into his opponent for his appearances at events hosted by the Staten Island Tea Party, for allowing fare increases while he was the MTA chairman and believing Obamacare should be delayed. De Blasio portrayed Lhota has another Republican obstructionist, whose "classic Republican trickle-down economics" or "tea party extremism" were not the antidotes to an ailing city.
"When you listen carefully, you'll see, Mr. Lhota is a mainstream Republican," de Blasio said.
The front-runner also pounced on Lhota's close ties to former Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani — for whom Lhota served under as deputy mayor — saying, "Mr. Lhota said at one point that he and Rudy Giuliani were inseparable and that means he's also responsible for the divisive actions of that administration."
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