There’s always a second act in American politics — especially if you’re an ultra-liberal former Congressman.
Anthony Weiner, forced to resign Congress for sending obscene photos and sexually explicit texts to women, appears to be positioning himself for a serious run for Mayor of New York City. Weiner recently spent more than $100,000 on polls to determine if a comeback was possible.
“When you spend $50,000 on a poll, that’s the real thing,” said one political insider. “You’re getting everything you can find out from voters. This guy spent a hundred grand.”
Since shelling out the money on March 4 and 5 to San Francisco-based David Binder Research, Weiner has made no public move to enter the race for either mayor or comptroller, two offices mentioned in his polls.
“If someone is thinking about running and doesn’t run, it shows the polls are not favorable,” said a veteran political consultant. “No one boycotts an election they think they can win.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, Weiner has $4.3 million in his campaign account. That would make him competitive with the front runners at least as far as fund raising is concerned.
Daniel Strauss of The Hill points out that the polling buy was Weiner’s only spending in March. One would think that if he was gearing up for a run, Weiner would at least be laying the groundwork so that if he decided to get in, he could hit the ground running. His lack of spending calls into question whether he us truly serious about running for office.
Indeed, New Yorkers have not forgotten the scandal that brought Weiner down. And while voters love to forgive, the rank nature of the scandal could be offputting to many voting blocs in New York.
Even an ultra liberal ex-Congressman may not be able to overcome his failings.
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