New York City Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner told MSNBC he’s optimistic about his chances of clearing Tuesday’s democratic primary in an interview on Andrea Mitchell Reports.
“Once I’m the nominee and once it’s clear that I’ve become the mayor, I’ll get all the briefings I need,” he told guest host Kristen Welker, in response to comments by New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly that no mayoral candidate had asked for a briefing on terrorism.
Once a front-runner in the mayoral race, Weiner saw support for his mayoral bid plummet after he confirmed new sexting allegations in July. He resigned from Congress two years earlier after the public learned he sent sexually explicit text messages to women online. At the time, Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin (a longtime Hillary Clinton aide) was in the early stages of pregnancy.
Weiner now trails three candidates in the democratic field. According to an NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll conducted Sept. 3-6, Bill de Blasio leads the pack with 36% of the vote, with William Thompson and Christine Quinn tied at 20%. Seven percent of respondents said they would vote for Weiner. A Quinnipiac poll conducted Sept. 6-8 is largely consistent, with the exception of 25% for Thompson and 18% for Quinn.
Weiner said on the eve of the democratic primary, his campaign is employing the “everything-in-the-kitchen-sink strategy.”
MS NOW staff