Democrat Bill Thompson, with the endorsement of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), conceded the New York City Democratic mayoral primary to Bill de Blasio earlier this week. De Blasio had 40.3 percent of the vote, enough to avoid a runoff against Thompson, the second-place candidate.
According to Politicker, Thompson's failed candidacy is a blow to the UFT for several reasons: The UFT hadn't formally endorsed a candidate since 2001, had seen itself as a kingmaker in the mayoral election, and had spent nearly $3 million to push for Thompson in the primary:
When the United Federation of Teachers offered its coveted endorsement to Bill Thompson in June, it was seen as a game changer for the candidate. But the union's efforts came up short yet again, with Mr. Thompson conceding the contest today after placing a distant second.
This is not a new situation for the UFT, which chose to sit out the 2005 and 2009 races, and–as its critics like to point out-last backed a winning candidate in 1989.
