By Howard Koplowitz
City Councilman Eric Gioia’s (D−Sunnyside) run for public advocate pits him against five rivals: the former holder of that office, a Council colleague, a civil rights attorney, a Republican state Senate staffer and a Pakistani−American lawyer.
A poll released last week by Marist College showed Gioia in for a tough fight after he received only 4 percent in a survey of likely Democratic voters — the lowest of the four Democrats in the race — despite his leading the field in fund−raising.
The dynamics of the public advocate race shifted dramatically when former Public Advocate Mark Green — who received 42 percent in the Marist poll and was the first person to hold the office — announced he was running in February.
Green’s showing in the poll put him past the 40 percent mark that would be needed to stave off a runoff against the candidate with the second−highest percentage.
Green was followed by civil rights attorney Norman Siegel, who also ran for public advocate four years ago, at 15 percent; City Councilman Bill de Blasio (D−Brooklyn) at 9 percent; and Gioia at 4 percent.
Alex Zablocki, a Staten Island Republican on the staff of state Sen. Andrew Lanza (R−Staten Island), and unaffiliated Pakistani attorney Imtiaz Syed are also running.
Green led in all 19 categories that were broken down in the poll, including by political ideology, race and borough of the city.
Being a native son did not help Gioia in Queens, where he was the choice of 6 percent of respondents, according to the poll. Green received 43 percent in the borough and both de Blasio and Siegel received 10 percent.
Gioia tops the six−person field in fund−raising at more than $2.2 million, according to the latest city Campaign Finance Board numbers.
Trailing Gioia are de Blasio ($1.06 million), Green ($268,143), Siegel ($232,160), Zablocki ($8,120) and Syed ($30,080).
The Queens legislator has also spent the most funds at $574,724, followed by de Blasio ($495,763), Siegel ($172,865), Green ($104,282), Syed ($30,176) and Zablocki ($4,058).
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e−mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 173.
