As the mayoral race in New York City (NYC) for 2013 draws closer, speculation is swirling regarding who could be the successor for outgoing mayor, Michael Bloomberg.
Already, retiring Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been mentioned as a possible candidate. Several stories have emerged that Bloomberg called Clinton recently to encourage her to consider running for mayor of NYC in the upcoming election.
Neither Clinton - who has been the subject of rumors pointing to a possible presidential run for her in 2016 - nor Bloomberg have commented on the call, although sources told the New York Times that Clinton had stated that she was not interested in running for mayor.
Bloomberg, who has already served as NYC's mayor for three terms since 2001, is term-limited as per city law and cannot seek a fourth term.
The city's top cop is also reportedly in the mix, as New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Ray Kelly, a Republican, was picked in a recent poll by the Wall Street Journal as the top choice to succeed Bloomberg. While saying of the results that he was "pleasantly surprised," he denied speculation that he would be tossing his hat into the ring for job.
Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Chairman Joseph J. Lhota is another name that has surfaced for a possible mayoral run in the Big Apple. The New York Times reported on Dec. 4 that, according to sources, Lhota was "seriously considering" running for mayor, although he is still weighing the risks of running and will likely decide within several weeks.
Lhota was praised widely for his response and management after the Hurricane Sandy disaster in getting the subway system back on track. However, sources told the Times that Bloomberg did not encourage Lhota to run.
Other possible mayoral candidates that have emerged include City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, and City Comptroller John Liu.
However, only two people have officially announced their candidacy for New York City mayor - Manhattan Media publisher Tom Allon, a Republican, and former City Comptroller and one-time mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, who ran for the post in 2009.
As political analysts told Newsday, the hype and secrecy surrounding potential mayoral candidates should be expected at this time, as many New Yorkers are seeking a new face to represent the city following Bloomberg's long tenure.
"There are people out there who think that 12 years of Bloomberg are too much," Christina Greer, an assistant professor of political science at Fordham University, told Newsday.