The New York City mayoral election of 1997 occurred on Tuesday November 4, 1997, with incumbent Republican mayor Rudy Giuliani soundly defeating Democratic Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger and several third-party candidates. This was the first time Brooklyn voted for a Republican since 1941.
Democratic primary.
Campaign.
The primary campaign was largely uneventful until April. Messinger, the front-runner, ignored her opponents in favor of attacking Giuliani.
Sharpton, for his part, ran a "street-corner, subway-stop campaign that raised little money, aired no television commercials and hired no consultants." Instead, he relied on his high name recognition among New Yorkers from his organization on behalf of Tawana Brawley, Yusef Hawkins, and the Central Park Five and his prior runs for United States Senate in 1992 and 1994.
Results.
Initial results indicated that Messinger had received 39 percent of the vote, thereby triggering a run-off against Al Sharpton, the runner-up. The run-off was scheduled for September 23. Observers initially blamed Messinger's "bland and often bumbling primary campaign" for the close results.
However, absentee ballots gave Messinger 40.159 percent of the vote, 658 votes more than necessary to win the nomination outright.
References.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;