♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN COOPY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

PRIMARY DAY HAS WRAPPED UP IN NEW YORK CITY, BUT THE ELECTION IS FAR FROM OVER IN MOST OF THE RACES.

WITH THE CITY'S NEW RANKED CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM NOW IN EFFECT IT'S EXPECTED TO TAKE TIME TO COUNT THE VOTES AND FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHO ARE THE WINNERS.

WHAT WE DO KNOW AS OF OUR WEDNESDAY MORNING TAPING IS ERIC ADAMS HAS A SIZABLE LEAD OVER MAYA WILEY AND KATHRYN GARCIA IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TO BECOME NEW YORK'S NEXT MAYOR, BUT THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO AND MANY MORE BALLOTS TO COUNT AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPETITIVE RACES TO TALK ABOUT, INCLUDING COMPT COMPTROLLER, MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BOROUGH PRESIDENT AND THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR MAYOR WHERE WE AT LEAST KNOW THE WINNER THERE.

SO TONIGHT TO HELP US MAKE SENSE OF WHERE THINGS STAND POST-PRIMARY IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME BACK THREE POLITICAL EXPERTS AND FRIENDS OF THE PROGRAM.

UP FIRST, WE HAVE DR. CHRISTINA GREER, SHE IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY AND THE HOST OF FAQNYC AND WHAT'S IN IT FOR US PODCAST.

WELCOME, DR. GREER.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WE ALSO HAVE OUR RETURNING FAVORITE J.C. POLANCO, OF COURSE, A POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NOW SO IMPORTANT NYC BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

J.C., ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON.

>> FORMER.

FORMER.

SO EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> AND WE COULDN'T TALK NEW YORK CITY POLITICS WITHOUT INCLUDING BEN MAX.

BEN IS OF COURSE THE GOTHAM GAZETTE EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND HOST OF THE MAX POLITICS PODCAST.

BEN, SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK ON THE SHOW.

>> THANKS, JENNA.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS AND WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

USUALLY AFTER AN ELECTION, EVEN A PRIMARY OR SOMETHING, WE WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING AND WE FIND OUT WHO THE WINNER IS.

SO, DR. GREER, WHY ISN'T ERIC ADAMS DECLARING VICTORY JUST YET?

>> YOU KNOW, BEN IS THE EXPERT ON THIS, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE HAD SO MANY OUTSTANDING ABSENTEE AND AFFIDAVIT BALLOTS AND THE MARGIN BY WHICH ERIC ADAMS LEADS KATHRYN GARCIA AND MAYA WILEY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING HE CAN'T DECLARE VICTORY JUST YET, HOWEVER, HE IS STILL AHEAD BY 7,000 VOTES RIGHT NOW SO HE'S COMFORTABLY SORT OF PRESENTING HIMSELF WE SAW IN HIS SPEECH LAST NIGHT WHICH IS AN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH OF SORTS THAT HE ASSUMES THAT HE WILL BE THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE AND THE 110th MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY SO HE HAS ALREADY STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT HIS CAMPAIGN IS ALL ABOUT.

I THOUGHT HIS SPEECH LAST NIGHT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING IN THE SENSE THAT HE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE PAST AND SORT OF FRAMING WHAT HE SEES AS THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND WHY IT IS THAT HE BUILT THIS PARTICULAR COALITION OF ASIAN-AMERICANS, ORTHODOX JEWS, BLACK FOLKS, WORKING CLASS WHITE FOLKS, IMMIGRANTS, YOU NAME IT, AND HE'S LIKE I'VE BEEN THE LEADER IN THIS RACE AND THIS IS WHY I THINK I'M VICTORIOUS IN THIS RACE IS BECAUSE I'VE PUT TOGETHER THIS COALITION.

IT'S A TWIST ON DAVID DINKINS 1989 BEAUTIFUL MOSAIC, BUT IT'S THE 21st CENTURY VERSION OF OUTSIDER POLITICS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE FELT LIKE THEY WERE LEFT BEHIND NOT JUST DURING COVID BUT EVEN BEFORE COVID DURING THE EIGHT YEARS OF de BLASIO AND THE 12 YEARS OF BLOOMBERG.

>> OKAY.

BEN, I'D LOVE TO GET YOUR INSIGHTS ON STILL WHAT ARE THE, I GUESS, MACHINATIONS HAPPENING WITH THIS RANKED CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM THAT HAS ERIC ADAMS LOOKING LIKE HE IS IN THE LEAD BUT NOT QUITE DECLARING VICTORY JUST YET?

>> HE'S ACTUALLY VERY FAR FROM BEING ABLE TO TECHNICALLY DECLARE VICTORY, YOU HAVE TO GET 50% PLUS ONE VOTE AND HE'S, YOU KNOW, HAS ABOUT 32% OF THE FIRST PLACE VOTES.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE HAD BEEN A BIGGER MARGIN LET'S SAY WITH THE SECOND PLACE FINISHER HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE COMFORTABLE BEING ABLE TO SAY THAT HE WAS GOING TO WIN, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF VOTES STILL TO BE COUNTED.

THERE'S TENS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN OPENED AT ALL AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO THE RANKED CHOICE INSTANT RUNOFF AND ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN THERE.

YOU ABSOLUTELY WOULD RATHER BE ERIC ADAMS THAN ANYBODY ELSE THIS THIS RACE RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ONLY THREE CANDIDATES WHO HAVE ANY CHANCE TO POSSIBLY WIN AND IT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE JUMP FOR MAYA WILEY OR KATHRYN GARCIA TO DO IT, BUT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE GIVEN THAT WE NEED TO SEE THE SECOND, THIRD AND MAYBE EVEN FOURTH CHOICES OF A NUMBER OF VOTERS AND SO IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO A LOT OF THOSE SECOND AND THIRD PREFERENCES AND THERE'S A LOT TO STILL PLAY OUT, BUT ADAMS HAS A VERY COMMANDING LEAD AND WE'VE GOT A FEW WEEKS TO WAIT HERE.

>> OKAY.

SO THEN, J.C., AS BEN MENTIONED THE, I GUESS, SECOND AND THIRD RUNNERS UP AS OF WEDNESDAY MORNING, BOTH OF THEM IN THEIR POST-ELECTION PRIMARY AT LEAST ELECTION NIGHT SPEECHES WERE BOTH TALKING ABOUT PERHAPS THEY HAD A PATH FORWARD STILL AND THAT'S STILL VERY MUCH A POSSIBILITY.

IS THAT, I GUESS, CORRECT OR IS THAT A LITTLE BIT OF PERHAPS JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE TROOPS AND THEIR SPIRITS UP AS WE GO FORWARD COUNTING THE BALLOTS AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE RANKED CHOICE OF THOSE BALLOTS?

>> IT'S INTERESTING.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO JUST -- SHAME ON THE VOTERS OF NEW YORK CITY THAT STAYED HOME.

ABOUT 80% OF REGISTERED DEMOCRATS STAYED HOME AND IT'S SAD ABOUT 99% OF ALL THE SEATS IN NEW YORK CITY ARE DECIDED IN DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES.

SO IF THE IDEA OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING WAS TO EXPAND THE VOTER BASE AND HAVE PEOPLE COME OUT AND VOTE AND PARTICIPATE, IT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA AT ALL.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO CHANGE THINGS YOU HAVE TO OPEN UP THE PRIMARIES TO BLANK VOTERS SO THAT THEY CAN COME OUT.

20% OF NEW YORK CITY VOTERS WERE LOCKED OUT OF PRIMARIES BECAUSE THEY WERE REGISTERED TO NO PARTY.

THAT'S ONE.

TWO, WE HEARD FROM DR. GREER AND BEN JUST NOW, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, THERE IS STILL A PATH FOR OUR SECOND AND THIRD CANDIDATES ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE TO ACTUALLY WIN.

ONE OF THE ISSUES, ONE OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS IT ALLOWS FOR I'M GOING TO USE THIS WORD, IT'S A LITTLE NEGATIVE BUT COLLUSION, COLLUSION BETWEEN CAMPAIGNS.

WE SAW THAT WITH YANG AND GARCIA.

HOPING THAT THEIR VOTERS TO SUPPORT ONE OR TWO.

BY JULY 12th THE YANG VOTERS WOULD GO TO GARCIA AND IF YOU WANTED A WOMAN MAYOR IN NEW YORK CITY YOU PROBABLY VOTED GARCIA/MAYA.

SO YOU'RE TALKING INTO ELECTION DAY WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MAYA WILEY TO SURPRISE PEOPLE.

I THINK THIS ELECTION WILL BE CLOSER THAN WE THINK AS VOTES TO MAYA GO TO GARCIA AND VOTES FROM GARCIA END UP GOING TO MAYA.

WE WILL BE SURPRISED AS THIS ELECTION GETS A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE JULY 12th DATE THAT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS MENTIONED THEY WILL HAVE SOME NUMBERS.

>> J.C., YOU BROUGHT UP AN EXCELLENT POINT.

YOU BROUGHT UP A NAME THAT WAS VERY BIG AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CAMPAIGN BUT HASN'T BEEN PART OF THE RESULTS, IN FACT, WE SAW ANDREW YANG CONCEDE THE RACE.

I'M WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED THERE BECAUSE HE SEEMED TO HAVE ALL THE MOMENTUM, ALL THE POPULARITY, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA BEHIND HIM, ET CETERA, AND THAT CAMPAIGN DID NOT PERFORM THE WAY PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WOULD.

SO, DR. GREER, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANDREW YANG CAME IN WITH NAME RECOGNITION FROM HIS NATIONAL RUN BUT I THINK THERE WERE REAL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT NOT JUST WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS OF NEW YORK CITY, BUT DID HE UNDERSTAND NEW YORK CITY?

SO THE MORE ANDREW YANG SPOKE TO VOTERS, I THINK -- PRIMARY VOTERS ESPECIALLY WHO ARE PRETTY ASTUTE ON POLICY, REALIZED THAT ANDREW YANG WAS QUITE THIN ON HIS NEEDS AND WANTS OF NEW YORKERS.

THE COALITION THAT PUT YANG FORTH EVEN SAID THEMSELVES THAT HE WAS A, QUOTE, EMPTY VESSEL.

AS THEY TRIED TO FILL HIM UP WITH POLICY POSITIONS, WE SAW CERTAIN INCONSISTENCIES.

THEN I HONESTLY THINK THAT THE LAST DEBATE WITH ANDREW YANG WHERE HE HAD THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN HE WAS A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, KIND OF TEENAGER, YOU KNOW, CANDIDATE WHERE COREY JOHNSON WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THAT HIGH ENERGY EXCITING CANDIDATE IF HE RAN FOR MAYOR, HE CHOSE NOT TO, YANG FILLED THAT ROLE BUT ALSO HE CAME ACROSS AS ANGRY YANG IN THAT LAST DEBATE WHEN HE ATTACKED ERIC ADAMS EXPLICITLY BUT HE ALSO CHOSE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON HIS COMMENTS ABOUT THE MENTALLY ILL WHICH I THINK IN THE LAST FINAL WEEK REALLY DID -- IF YOU THINK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND HIS PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, LOTS OF FOLKS WERE REALLY DISTURBED BY HIS CHARACTERIZATION OF US VERSUS THEM AND IT BROUGHT UP SOME REAL QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT HIS GOVERNANCE STYLE WOULD LOOK LIKE.

HE SEEMED TO BE ALL OVER THE IDEOLOGICAL MAP AND I THINK A LOT OF VOTERS JUST REALIZED THIS WAS A LOT OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS AND THE CAMPAIGN WASN'T NECESSARILY BUILT ON A FOUNDATION THAT WOULD REALLY HELP HIM BE 110th MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY HE DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND NOT JUST NEW YORK CITY, BUT HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS IN A LARGER MACRO PERSPECTIVE.

>> BEN, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE DECIDING FACTORS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WAS REALLY WHO WAS GOING TO NOT ONLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS THAT THE VOTERS WERE LOOKING FOR BUT UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET THE CITY TO WORK AGAIN, OR COULD IT HAVE BEEN AS WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM SO MANY OTHER POLITICIANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY LAW AND ORDER IS WHAT DROVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEIR DECISION MAKING AT LEAST WHEN THEY GOT THEIR BALLOT?

>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH THAT DISCUSSION BECAUSE ANDREW YANG WAS TALKING MORE AND MORE ABOUT LAW AND ORDER AND LOSING MORE AND MORE SUPPORT.

NOW, IF A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT WOUND UP GOING TO ERIC ADAMS THERE'S OBVIOUSLY AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT HE WAS THE MOST CREDIBLE CANDIDATE ON BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND EVEN SOME SEMBLANCE OF POLICE REFORM WHICH HE HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR DECADES.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY VOTERS HAD TO MAKE UP THEIR MIND IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT HE WOULD DELIVER ON BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, BUT OBVIOUSLY ADAMS AS A TWO-DECADE MEMBER OF THE NYPD HAD A LOT OF CREDIBILITY ON THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND IF VOTERS WERE REALLY DECIDING ON THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE ABANDONED OTHERS TO GO WITH HIM.

I THINK EVERYTHING DR. GREER SAID ABOUT ANDREW YANG IS RIGHT.

I THINK ALL ALONG, AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING TO WATCH, WAS THAT THERE WAS SORT OF A BUBBLE AROUND HIS NAME RECOGNITION AND SORT OF GENERAL SENSE OF LIKABILITY FROM HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, WHEN VOTERS HAD NOT REALLY TUNED IN TO THE SPECIFICS OF THE MAYORAL RACE SO HE WAS BUOYED IN THESE EARLY POLLS THAT I THINK WERE, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY HOLLOW IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY MEANT.

I THINK HIS CAMPAIGN PROBABLY KNEW THAT AND THEY WERE TRYING TO THEN BACKFILL THAT SUPPORT BY HAVING HIM ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO A COALITION AND CONSTITUENCIES TO GET THE ACTUAL SUPPORT THAT WOULD TURN INTO THOSE VOTES, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF TIME FOR DISSECTING THE CHOICES THEY MADE AND THE QUESTIONS AROUND TRYING TO GO FURTHER, FURTHER INTO CRIME, DISORDER, THE COMMENTS ABOUT MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO STAY POSITIVE, FOCUS ON JOBS AND THE ECONOMY AND THINGS THAT YANG IS A MORE CREDIBLE MESSENGER ON.

>> J.C., IN A LOT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS YOU HAVE SPOKEN VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT NOT JUST PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHO THEY LIKE AS A CANDIDATE BUT WHO IS ACTUALLY READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND DO THE WORK OF MAYOR, OF MANAGING THIS MASSIVE CITY AND THIS MASSIVE CITY BUDGET.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS WHAT IT WAS THAT EITHER DID DRIVE PEOPLE TO THE POLLS OR PERHAPS GAVE THEM MAYBE COVER TO PEOPLE AS THOUGH, I CAN SIT THIS ONE OUT?

>> WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY HAD COVER TO SIT THIS ONE OUT.

NEW YORK CITY HAS A REPUTATION OF HAVING MOST OF THE VOTERS STAY HOME AND THEY CAN VOTE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

I DO KNOW THIS, THAT LAST NIGHT ERIC ADAMS WAS NUMBER ONE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY AND THAT'S BECAUSE HE IS THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.

I THINK NEW YORKERS KNEW THAT.

DEEP DOWN IN YOUR GUT YOU KNOW HE IS THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING TONIGHT YOU CAN THINK ABOUT HIS MANAGING STYLE, THINK ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND, BEN JUST TALKED ABOUT HIS TWO DECADES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, BOROUGH PRESIDENT, COUNCIL, STATE LEGISLATURE.

THIS IS A PERSON THAT WE CAN TRUST AND WHO CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

THE COALITION HE WILL FILLED, LATINO, LATINAS, AS DR. GREER MENTIONED EARLIER, WAS CLEAR THAT VOTERS LAST NIGHT IF THEY DID STAY HOME, JENNA, AND SAID, WELL, I THINK ERIC A HAS THIS, THIS HE MAY BE WORRIED TODAY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT ERIC HAD THIS, BUT THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT BECAUSE OF THIS NONSENSICAL RANKED CHOICE VOTING THAT NEW YORKERS THOUGHT WAS A GOOD IDEA THOSE THAT DID COME OUT TO VOTE THERE IS A CHANCE THAT HE MAY END UP LOSING THIS RACE BECAUSE OF YANG, GARCIA TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT HE LOSES AT THE END BY COLLUDING THEIR VOTES.

THAT'S A FACT.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT ANYONE IS STEALING THE ELECTION, BUT WITH KWEN YOU TELL FOLKS TO VOTE FOR ME OR HER, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU VOTE FOR, THAT'S NOT CAMPAIGNING AS WE KNOW IT.

WHEN WE RUN FOR OFFICE WE WANT FOLKS TO RUN FOR US BUT IT WAS CLEARLY DESIGNED TO HURT ERIC ADAMS IN THE LONG RUN AND I THINK WE ALL SAW IT.

>> CAN I SAY REAL QUICK, JE JENNA -- >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THERE IS VERY MUCH AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE WHICH KATHRYN GARCIA MADE WHICH SHE WAS THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE TO RUN CITY GOVERNMENT, I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE DISCOUNTED, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVED IN THAT MESSAGE WHICH IS WHY SHE SO OVERPERFORMED WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT SHE WOULD DO IN THIS CASE, WHETHER SHE WINDS UP FINISHING THIRD, SECOND OR FIRST, AND IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT, YOU KNOW, ERIC ADAMS HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR MAYOR FOR DECADES REALLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, IN ESSENCE FOR AT LEAST TWO OR THREE YEARS IF NOT MORE AND KATHRYN GARCIA STARTED ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, MILIA WILEY STARTED ABOUT NINE MONTHS AGO AND THE MONEY IN THIS RACE IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL DOLLARS AND WE HAVE THIS IN A GOTHAM GAZETTE ARTICLE TODAY WITH OUTSIDE SPENDING AND CAMPAIGN SPENDING THE WAY THAT ERIC A ADAMS' IS SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY DWARFS WILEY AND GARCIA EVEN COMBINED IS REALLY SOMETHING TO BEHOLD THERE.

SO GARCIA WAS CLEARLY VERY MUCH BUOYED BY "THE NEW YORK TIMES" EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENT AND DOMINATING IN MANHATTAN WHERE THAT MATTERS THE MOST BUT THIS RACE IS PRETTY COMPLICATED.

>> OF COURSE.

AND SPEAKING OF COMPLICATED I JUST WANT IN CASE WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL NOT QUITE SURE WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN SETTLED YET, BEN, CAN YOU GIVE US AT LEAST AN IDEA OF A TIMELINE FOR WHAT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT AS WE WAIT FOR THESE BALLOTS AND THE CHOICES TO GET RANKED, ET CETERA?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, ONE OF THE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE IS THAT YOU HAVE THESE THREE CANDIDATES WHO COULD POSSIBLY WIN BUT THE SECOND CHOICE PREFERENCES OF ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES IS WHAT'S GOING TO REALLY DETERMINE HOW THIS SORT OF SORTING GOES BEFORE WE GET DOWN TO WHAT IS THE FINAL TWO.

AND SO IN THE END WHAT MIGHT ACTUALLY DETERMINE THIS RACE IS THE SECOND CHOICE VOTES OF WILEY'S VOTERS OR GARCIA'S VOTERS, DEPENDING ON WHO IS ACTUALLY AHEAD WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO THAT FINAL TALLY, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GARCIA AND ADAMS IN THE FINAL TWO, IT'S ALMOST ASSURED ADAMS WILL BE IN THE FINAL TWO, IF MAYA WILEY THEN GETS ELIMINATED HER VOTER'S SECOND CHOICES WILL EITHER MAKE GARCIA OR ADAMS THE WINNER.

IF GARCIA GETS ELIMINATED HER SECOND CHOICE VOTERS TO MAKE WILEY OR ADAMS THE WINNER.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO A MOCKED RANKED CHOICE VOTING RUN OF SORTS THAT WILL SHED SOME MORE LIGHT BUT ALSO CONFUSE PEOPLE ON JUNE 29th.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.

>> AND THAT'S BEFORE THEY COUNT THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND THEN THEY WILL COUNT THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND THEY HAVE TO LET PEOPLE CURE SOME OF THEIR BALLOTS BY LAW NOW, IF THERE'S CERTAIN MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE ON THEM, SO WE NEED TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO WHILE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT, THAT WILL BE SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE AT LEAST WHO GET TO FIX THEIR BALLOTS AND THEN THEY WILL DO THE ACTUAL FINAL COUNT IN SORT OF EARLY TO MID-JULY AND THAT'S WHEN WE WILL REALLY KNOW, WE MIGHT -- WE MIGHT GET SOME SOLID INFORMATION BEFORE THEN, BUT THAT'S THE TIMELINE.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO PATIENCE, I THINK, IS THE IMPORTANT FAKE AWAY FROM THAT.

BUT ASIDE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR MAYOR, WE AT LEAST KNOW WHO THE WINNER IS IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR MAYOR.

AND SO I GUESS DR. GREER, WHAT -- I MEAN, WERE YOU SURPRISED?

DID YOU THINK OF COURSE THAT WORKED OUT THE WAY IT DID OR, I MEAN, AGAIN, HOW IMPORTANT IS NAME RECOGNITION IN THE CITY WHEN YOU'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT FAMOUS FOR A WHILE?

>> RIGHT.

I MEAN, THESE TWO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN SOME WAYS SEEM MORE LIKE ENTERTAINMENT CANDIDATES.

IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM AS HOW THIS IS A MOMENT FOR REPUBLICANS IN NEW YORK CITY.

IS SLIWA KNOWS HOW TO GET ATTENTION.

HE'S BEEN A FIXTURE AT A VERY RESPECTED NEWS STATION, HE PROVIDES I WOULD ARGUE SOME SORT OF LEVEL OF ENTERTAINMENT BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THE MOMENT FOR REPUBLICANS IN NOVEMBER OF 2021.

HOWEVER, WHOEVER THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE IS THEY DO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY STILL NEED TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE IN NOVEMBER AND BEAT THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF, SAY, SOMEONE LIKE JOE LOTA WERE STILL A REPUBLICAN AND RUNNING AND GAINED THE NOMINATION LIKE HE DID WHEN HE WAS RUNNING AGAINST de BLASIO IN 2013 I WOULD BE MUCH MORE INTERESTED AND CONCERNED ABOUT THAT RACE IF I WERE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE.

SO IN SOME WAYS THE REPUBLICANS ARE A NONFACTOR RIGHT NOW.

I THINK ONCE WE FIGURE OUT WHO THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE WILL BE, I'M FASCINATED TO SEE WHAT THE UPCOMING MONTHS WILL LOOK LIKE AS WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY A SHADOW MAYOR WITH de BLASIO WHO HAS HAD A BAD CASE OF SENIORITIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SEVERAL YEARS, AND HOW THEY WILL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CURRENT MAYOR BUT ALSO LAY FORTH A VISION.

WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW COVID WILL PLAY OUT.

WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS, CHILDREN AND COLLEGE STUDENTS WILL BE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL, WHAT DOES UNEMPLOYMENT LOOK LIKE IN THE CITY?

WHAT DO SMALL BUSINESSES AND CLOSED BUSINESSES LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES CRIME AND POLICING LOOK LIKE?

THOSE ARE CONVERSATION THAT IS I'M MORE INTERESTED IN IN IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS AS OPPOSED TO THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE WHICH IN SOME WAYS I THINK WILL BE A DISTRACTION AND CHATTER IN THE BACKGROUND.

>> WELL, AS MUCH AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PRIMARIES, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT FOR MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, THERE WERE OTHER RACES TO DISCUSS AND TWO OF THE BIGGER CONTESTS THAT GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION WERE OF COURSE MANHATTAN DA AND CITY COMPTROLLER.

J.C., I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THOSE TWO RACES ARE SHAPING UP BECAUSE IN SOME CASES IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE WERE KIND OF SURPRISED THAT AT LEAST WHO CAME OUT THE FRONT RUNNER IN BOTH CASES.

>> REAL QUICK BEFORE I GET A CALL FROM CURTIS SLIWA YELLING AT ME I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT DEPENDS, DR. FWREER, ON WHO THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE WILL BE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT KIND OF COALITION CURTIS SLIWA COULD FORM EVEN IN AN EIGHT TO ONE DISADVANTAGE.

ONE ADVANTAGE THAT HE HAS, DR. GREER, IS THAT HE STARTS NOW NOT IN LATE JULY MAYBE WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IS FINALLY SOLVED.

>> AND, LISTEN, WE HAVE HAD 20 YEARS OF REPUBLICAN MAYORS IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT NEW YORK CITY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO ELECT A REPUBLICAN.

WE HAVE HAD LITERALLY FIVE TERMS BACK TO BACK OF REPUBLICAN MAYORS.

I WOULD ARGUE THAT CURTIS SLIWA, THOUGH, IF HE WANTS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY I WOULD MOVE AWAY INTEREST SOME OF THE SHIS TSHTI POLITICS AND BE MORE CONCRETE ON POLICY AND LOOK MORE LIKE SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS GOVERNANCE AND WANTS TO BE THE 110th MAYOR AS OPPOSED TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BE AN ENTERTAINMENT VERSION OF A MAYOR.

>> BEN, DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON CURTIS SLIWA BEFORE WE MOVE ON?

>> NO, THAT'S OKAY.

NO MATTER WHO THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE IS, YOU KNOW, CURTIS SLIWA IS GOING TO STRUGGLE VERY MUCH IN THE GENERAL ELECTION TO MAKE HIS WAY, BUT IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WITH A LONGER GENERAL ELECTION ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AND INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF SCANDAL FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY THING THAT COULD REALLY MOVE THINGS TOWARDS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, BUT THERE'S ALSO -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO A MILLION PLUS INDEPENDENT VOTERS OUT THERE THAT J.C. WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER WHO COULD BE SWAYED TOWARDS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE BUT IT'S UNLIKELY THAT THEY WOULD BREAK IN FULL FORCE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR A REPUBLICAN NOMINEE TO WIN WITHOUT BEING SOME SORT OF HUGE STAR OR HAVING $100 MILLION TO SPEND ON THE RACE AS MIKE BLOOMBERG DID OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> AND WHAT BEN SAID.

>> OKAY.

I WAS GOING TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO GET DEEPER INTO THIS AS THE YEAR GOES ON.

SO BACK TO THE MANHATTAN DA'S RACE AND THE CITY COMPTROLLER RACE.

AGAIN, WERE WE SURPRISED AT ALL?

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE PERHAPS THOUGHT THAT COREY JOHNSON MIGHT DO BETTER.

>> OF COURSE.

COREY JOHNSON IS A STAR, DR. GREER TALKS ABOUT POPULAR POP TIGSS, I MEAN, THAT'S YOUR SPEAKER.

SPEAKER JOHNSON HAS BEEN A TRAILBLAZER ON SO MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES.

WE ALL THOUGHT HE WOULD BE DOING A LOT BETTER TODAY THIS MORNING THAN HE'S ACTUALLY DOING.

AS FAR AS THE MANHATTAN DA'S RACE, I KNOW WE WERE TALKING A LITTLE EARLIER OFF CAM RATION BUT IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE AN INCREDIBLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE WIN THIS ELECTION OR BE CLOSE TO WINNING THIS ELECTION AND TO HAVE THE FIRST BLACK DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN MANHATTAN, YOU KNOW, MEANS A LOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY.

THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.

SO IT'S A BIG NIGHT FOR ALVIN BRAGG LET'S JUST SEE HOW THIS RID INCLUDING RANKED CHOICE VOTING -- >> NO RANKED CHOICE IN THE DA RACE.

>> I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT ALL DAY.

YOU'RE RIGHT, BEN.

NO RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

>> ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND BRAGG HAS ABOUT A 7,000 VOTE LEAD SO ONCE WE SEE THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS FROM MANHATTAN DEMOCRATS, THAT ONE WILL BE WRAPPED UP A LITTLE BIT SOONER PERHAPS.

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S ALSO INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, BEYOND JUST THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIRST -- POSSIBLE FIRST BLACK MANHATTAN DA, YOU KNOW, ALVIN'S RECORD, SOUTHERN DISTRICT AND IN A PROSECUTORIAL SENSE IT'S INTERESTING THE FRAMING OF SOMEONE LIKE KAMALA HARRIS VERSUS ALVIN BRAGG, IT SEEMS AS HOW WHAT RESONATED WITH AL BESIDES MOVING AWAY FROM HARLEM AND THINKING ABOUT MANHATTAN AS AN ENTIRE BOROUGH AND TRYING TO GET ENDORSEMENTS AND SUPPORT ACROSS THE WHOLE BOROUGH, BUT REALLY ARTICULATING THE STRUGGLE THAT HE HAS HAD AS A PROSECUTOR AND A BLACK PERSON, HAVING INTERACTIONS WITH THE NYPD WHICH I THINK RESONATED WITH A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO DO NOT NECESSARILY BELIEVE IN HARD CORE LEFTIST PROGRESSIVE POLITICS WHERE ABOLISHING ALL JAILS AND PRISONS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS MANHATTAN WANT TO SEE BUT ALSO THEY DO WANT SOMEONE WHO WILL THINK SUBSTANTIVELY AND CRITICALLY ABOUT THE ROLE AND THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE OF SORT OF HAVING THESE CASES BEFORE THEM AND DECIDING WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FUTURE OF PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS NOT JUST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES BUT ALSO IN WALL STREET AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH DONALD TRUMP AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT COME ACROSS THE DESK.

I THINK THAT IS WHERE TALI STRUGGLED BECAUSE, A, THAT'S HER WALL STREET CONNECTIONS BUT I THINK THE ATTACKS THAT CAME OUT IN THE FINAL WEEKS OF THE CAMPAIGN ABOUT HER NOT PAYING TAXES, I REALLY THINK RESONATED WITH SOME VOTERS, BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL STRAINS THAT SO MANY NEW YORKERS AND AMERICANS ARE FEELING AND THIS IDEA THAT WEALTHY AMERICANS DON'T PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, REALLY LOOKING AT HER AS AN ACTING DOES SHE DESERVE THE JOB AND SHE'S NOT PLAYING BY THE RULES.

SOMEONE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO SET THE RULES AND SET THE PACE OF THE RULES, WHO IS NOT NECESSARILY PLAYING BY THE RULES HERSELF I THINK RAISED A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR VOTERS.

>> I DO WANT TO SAY VERY QUICKLY THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH A 7,000 VOTE LEAD ALVIN BRAGG LOOKS IN GOOD SHAPE BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE COUNTED AND ABS KEY BALLOTING AT TIMES ESPECIALLY IN MANHATTAN MIGHT BE WHITER WEALTHIER VOTERS WHO MIGHT BE TALI VOTERS SO IT IS SOMETHING TO WATCH THAT THIS RACE IS NOT OVER.

>> IT'S DEFINITELY NOT OVER AT ALL.

I AM ALSO CURIOUS, THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WILL VOTERS REJECT THE FACT THAT SHE GAVE HERSELF OVER $8 MILLION, WILL VOTERS FEEL SOME KIND OF WAY ABOUT THE LATER ATTACK ADS AGAINST BRAGG IN COURT, LINKING THEM TO SCHNEIDERMAN, SOME PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY WITH ME TOO AND CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SEEMS TO PREVALENT IN SO MANY OF THE RACES WE SAW ACROSS THE CITY, WHETHER OR NOT FOLKS FILE THAT AS UNFAIR OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY SUBSCRIBE TO THE TALI THINKING THAT YOU'RE GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION.

>> THOSE, YEN NA, BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RACE YOU COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BE BOROUGH PRESIDENT IN THE BRONX WITH GENTLEMAN NECESSARY IS A GIBSON WHICH IS A BIG DEAL, THE BRONX WOULD HAVE A BLACK BOROUGH DA, BLACK BOROUGH PRESIDENT IN A COUNTY THAT HAS BEEN HISPANIC.

IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THE COALITIONS BEING BUILT AROUND THE CITY.

>> J.C., THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE MY REACTION WASN'T TO THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GET TO THE BOROUGH PRESIDENT'S RACES WHICH OF WHICH ARE INCREDIBLY CLOSE BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME.

THIS HAS BEEN A ROUSING GREAT CONVERSATION AND ONE WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AS THIS RANKED CHOICE VOTING CONTINUES TO PLAY OUT.

I'D LIKE TO THANK DR. CHRISTINA GREER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY AND HOST OF FAQNYC AND THE WHAT'S IN IT FOR US PODCAST, ALSO THANK YOU TO J.C. POLANCO, CUNY FACULTY MEMBER AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

AND OF COURSE BEN MAX, BOTHAM GAZETTE EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND HOST OF THE MAX POLITICS PODCAST.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THE DAY AFTER PRIMARY DAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANKS, JENNA.

♪ >> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOE GANTZ FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

♪ ♪