Campaigns on Broadway

I walked a half marathon yesterday, and passed quite a few campaign workers along the way.

The walk started before 1, at 23rd and Eighth. I walked to Columbus Circle, then switched to Broadway, stopping near Columbia for tacos and cucumber margaritas. By the time I made it to 238th, there was little sunlight left.

I saw workers for many campaigns, mostly City Council. But there was literature, here and there, for each of the major candidates for mayor.

Christine Quinn – I saw one person carrying a Quinn sign, in the 20s. In the 140s I saw a guy with a 32BJ t-shirt and a political slogan, but Quinn’s name was absent.

Bill De Blasio – Saw quite a bit on the Upper West Side – mostly for him alone. There were some multi-candidate handbills in that neighborhood that included him. He apparently had a Saturday UWS appearance that was being promoted. He also showed up on one or two multiple candidate thingies in the 170s.

Bill Thompson – nothing – until 139. I saw three groups of UFTers (139, somewhere in the 160s or 170s, and one in the Bronx) handing out his stuff. I also saw a few multiple candidate signs, putting him together with people who the UFT has not endorsed.

John Liu – no hand bills. His stuff was in a scattering of shop windows, starting on the UWS, and all the way up. Some of them were Chinese businesses – but I started looking – some were not.

Anthony Weiner – I noticed two discarded handbills by the parking lot for Twin Donut at 218 Street. I had just been around the corner Thursday, having dinner with a few colleagues at the Indian Road Cafe (and noticed a former UFT president having a group Rosh Hashonah dinner – maybe I should have said hello, but I felt awkward intruding).

I guess I was a bit surprised by how little mayoral stuff was happening – but maybe handbills in the street is no longer the way to go.