ANALYSIS
It took a while, but Comptroller Alan Hevesi has finally figured out that he can’t win the Democratic primary for mayor by running as “Giuliani Lite.”
Dubbed the front-runner just a few months ago, Hevesi is now scratching to keep pace with his three Democratic rivals.
He’s been forced by low poll numbers to launch an early TV campaign, tearing through about $1.3 million of the $5.4 million he’ll be allowed to spend by the Campaign Finance Board.
There’s no way Hevesi can keep up that kind of spending through the Sept. 11 primary election. That’s why Hevesi strategists seem gleeful at the prospect of a fight with Giuliani.
Confrontations with the mayor almost always generate publicity – free publicity.
The black community, which Hevesi desperately needs to boost his poll ratings, is currently giving most of its votes to Public Advocate Mark Green and Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer.
But black voters can’t help but take notice if Giuliani suddenly turns his verbal guns on Hevesi, who has taken pains to maintain a cordial relationship with City Hall.
So many mayoral aides are supporting Hevesi that some insiders say they suspect the new feud with Hevesi is contrived. Among the Rudy allies helping Hevesi are Bruce Teitelbaum, Giuliani’s former campaign director, and former Deputy mayor Randy Mastro.
Mayoral aides insist Giuliani is offended by Hevesi’s hits on the administration, questioning whether the Fire Department endangered lives by buying faulty radios and claiming the NYPD engages in racial profiling.
The aides also point out that there’s a deep downside to taking on the mayor, namely losing his loyal constituency.
But that’s a risk that Hevesi – barely running third in a field of four – seems willing to take.