Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has denounced political parties as a "swamp of dysfunction," has bankrolled a campaign to eliminate them from the New York City elections and has dismissively cast off his own party affiliations like ill-fitting garments. (Democrat? Been there. Republican? Done that.)
But now, in what may rank as the most humbling experience of his mayoralty, Mr. Bloomberg is pleading with those same scorned parties to put his name on their ballot lines this fall, dispatching aides to apologize for past offenses and arguing that he cannot win re-election without their support.
Mr. Bloomberg faces the unenviable prospect of running without the backing of a major party, something no victorious candidate for mayor has pulled off in the last half century. Even if he spent the money to create his own party, his name would appear in what one Republican operative called "ballot Siberia," about six rows over to the right — traditionally home to the Socialist Workers and Marijuana Reform Parties, a potential turnoff to voters.
Bradley Tusk, Mr. Bloomberg's campaign manager, has visited the West Village home of two founding members of the Independence Party, Fred Newman and Jackie S. Salit. According to Mr. Newman, Mr. Tusk's message was, "We don't think the campaign can make it without the Independence Party."
Under NY city's election system, a candidate can appear on multiple ballot lines, improving the odds of capturing votes. To run on a party's ballot line, a candidate must secure support of three of a party's five county committees (for the Independence Party you need the majority vote of the five Borough Executive Committee members). If Mr. Bloomberg does not secure a party line, he will be forced to collect 7,500 signatures to get on the ballot.
Last year, Mr. Bloomberg and his aides stepped into a messy battle between factions of the Independence Party. In a risky move, they sided with the state party chairman, Frank MacKay — a Bloomberg presidential booster — who tried to oust the party's leadership in New York City.
But a series of court cases left the city's party leaders in power and livid with Mr. Bloomberg. In interviews, at least three of the Independence Party's five county leaders expressed objections to nominating the mayor, even as they praised his record in office. "He regarded us as a group of people he needed, could use, and then he could walk away from," Mr. Newman said.
This year, both the Independence and Working Families Parties may end up nominating a Democrat, said people briefed on the situation. One Democratic mayoral candidate, William C. Thompson Jr., has already approached the Independence Party, according to party members.
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