Extolling supporters to chant with him that eight years is enough, Comptroller William Thompson vowed a spirited campaign to defeat incumbent Mike Bloomberg in the November general election for New York City mayor.
Thompson’s remarks came after he easily bested Queens City Councilmember Tony Avella in the Democratic Party primary.
According to the unofficial results, with 100 percent of the vote counted, Thompson received 218,793 votes or 70.24 percent to Avella’s 66,722 votes or 21.42 percent of the electorate.
Roland Rogers finished third with 25,976 votes or 8.34 percent of the tally.
In his victory speech, Thompson said it was time for a change and accused Bloomberg of being for special interests despite his millions of dollars to run a campaign. Thompson also noted how the homeless situation is growing under the Bloomberg administration.
Thompson also criticized how Bloomberg legislated in running for a third term, and said that parents do not have enough involvement in school issues.
Earlier in the night, Bloomberg took the stage to address supporters at the unofficial kickoff of his campaign.
In a speech that matched Thompson’s fire, Bloomberg railed against special interests and political bosses.
“The grassroots support that we’ve been building says a lot about what’s at stake in this election. People from every borough and every background are getting involved for a very simple reason — they care about the future of our city,” Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg also alluded to the Democratic Party being beholden to special interests and how he works as mayor for only a dollar a year.
“You know, I don’t care what the special interests want. I don’t take a dime of their money. I work for a dollar a year and I work for you and you alone. I don’t care what the party bosses want. I didn’t come from a political machine. I look for the best ideas, from any and all parties. And I don’t care what the polls say.”
