Though the latest poll showed a majority of New Yorkers want Anthony Weiner to drop out of the mayor’s race, he shows no signs of quitting despite a week of nonstop coverage, questions, criticism, and at least one defecting staffer. All three of Weiner’s main rivals — City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former Comptroller Bill Thompson, and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio — have called for him to give up the ghost, but with the race entering its home stretch — a little more than 40 days until the crucial Sept. 10 Democratic primary — the reality is, some of Weiner’s opponents might benefit from having Weiner to kick around a while longer.Prior to the sexting scandal, insiders saw the race as a three-way contest between Weiner, Quinn, and Thompson. Weiner had the lead in several polls. A poll conducted immediately after the scandal indicated it propelled Quinn into first place and cost Weiner a large chunk of his support. That finding was echoed by a Qunnipiac poll released Monday.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=87621