People are still praising Bill de Blasio's debate performance. Voters don’t seem to care.
Some of the standouts from the first round of the Democratic primary debates — namely Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and former Housing Secretary Julián Castro — have seen some significant jumps in early polls. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who many considered to be a pleasant surprise during the debate, hasn't been so fortunate.
De Blasio's decision to run for president was met with eye-rolls and sighs, especially among his New York constituents — "disdain for de Blasio seems to unite New Yorkers from across the political spectrum," writes Reihan Salam in The Atlantic — but the mayor showed up in Miami ready to roll and the response from pundits wasn't half bad.
Chris Matthews called him a surprising "heavyweight." Meanwhile, Joe Scarborough dubbed him a "street fighter" and Vox declared him one of the night's four winners. In the same Atlantic article, Salam admits that de Blasio "distinguished himself with eagerness to interrupt his fellow presidential aspirants and to stake out the most leftward position available on any given issue." For example, on the first night of the debates, only Warren and de Blasio raised their hands when the candidates were asked if they would give up their private insurance for a government-run plan.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Still, none of this means de Blasio has any "staying power," Salam notes. Indeed, just one week after the debate, a Quinnipiac poll surveyed 554 voters. How many of them voted for the seemingly upstart mayor? Zilch. De Blasio was similarly bereft of support in a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, but did manage to hit the 1 percent threshold in an Economist/YouGov tally. Progress?
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Political cartoons for December 17Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include healthcare costs, the affordability hoax, giving up pencils, and more
-
Trump vs. BBC: what’s at stake?The Explainer The US president has filed a $10 billion lawsuit over the editing of Panorama documentary, with the broadcaster vowing to defend itself
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Kushner drops Trump hotel project in SerbiaSpeed Read Affinity Partners pulled out of a deal to finance a Trump-branded development in Belgrade
-
Senate votes down ACA subsidies, GOP alternativeSpeed Read The Senate rejected the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, guaranteeing a steep rise in health care costs for millions of Americans
-
Abrego García freed from jail on judge’s orderSpeed Read The wrongfully deported man has been released from an ICE detention center
-
Indiana Senate rejects Trump’s gerrymander pushSpeed Read The proposed gerrymander would have likely flipped the state’s two Democratic-held US House seats
-
Democrat files to impeach RFK Jr.Speed Read Rep. Haley Stevens filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
-
$1M ‘Trump Gold Card’ goes live amid travel rule furorSpeed Read The new gold card visa offers an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for $1 million
-
US seizes oil tanker off VenezuelaSpeed Read The seizure was a significant escalation in the pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
