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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > People and Politics > Christine Quinn announces for New York Mayor, prepares to make history - First gay, female, mayor and first Irish mayor in decade

People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Christine Quinn announces for New York Mayor, prepares to make history - First gay, female, mayor and first Irish mayor in decade

Posted on Monday, March 11, 2013 at 08:30 AM

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Christine Quinn officially announces mayoral campaign in New York City

An openly gay redheaded Irish American woman has announced she is running for mayor of New York and she is very likely to win.

Christine Quinn is the overwhelming favorite but she is bucking several trends.

Firstly, she is gay, secondly, she is a woman, and no openly declared gay person or a woman has ever held the job. Thirdly she is Irish American and very proud of that and no Irish American mayor has been elected in decades.

The feeling was that the ethnic identity of New York had so changed that no Irish person would have a shot again.

Quinn appears to be bucking that trend, as she is the one possibility of electing an openly gay person or a woman.

All of which makes her a remarkable package wrapped in one candidate.

"I'm about keeping New York City a place for the middle class to live and grow and a place that is going to help those hard working people get into the middle class," she said. "I'm not about talking and finger-pointing and complaining; I'm about getting things done.”

By her very candidacy she has already moved the goalpost and she looks ever more likely to be elected given the very weak field of candidates that oppose her.

“Would he/she be good for the Jews?” is the often laughed at comment that many Jewish voters make when considering their voting choices no matter how obscure the office.

Asking that in the Irish context, the answer seems to be an overwhelming yes. Quinn is part and parcel of the Irish American community and much liked and respected there.

Her dad, Lawrence, is a permanent fixture at many Irish events and Quinn has underwritten huge support for the new Irish Arts Center in her capacity as City Council President.

So Quinn would be good for the Irish and the rest of New York it appears right now.

But she must know, like the cardinals in Rome know, that someone entering the race as hot favorite often does not end up pope or Mayor of new York City.

It is a long way to November but all other candidates seem stuck in the blocks. Unless they can get going, this might look like a coronation.

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eiriamach | Mar 17, 2013, 05:23 PM EDT

Well said, and it needed saying, Seanomelb. CavanAncestor is looking for Ed Koch. He's interred in a Trinity Church cemetery, under the watchful eye of the oldest house of God in NYC, one of those "inclusive," lefty-lib churches that take Jews, LGBTs, and anyone at all who sees life as a spiritual journey and not a hate campaign. As comfortable as he may be now, Koch would get up to running speed fast if he knew CavanAncestor is looking for him.

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seanomelb | Mar 12, 2013, 07:30 PM EDT

The finance minister in Australia(Penny Wong) lives with her female partner and the prime minister(Julia Gillard) lives with her inhouse boyfriend. A persons sexuality is not a criteia for high office,except in the eye of the bigot.

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Seanmor | Mar 12, 2013, 10:50 AM EDT

I wish Christine every success in this campaign, but I hope she does NOT continually bombard her audiences with praise of the sexual preference (which is her own private affair). Her campaign literature shoud emphasize the significant role she played is saving St. Brigid's Church fromCardinal Egan's wrecking crews.

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Smyrnian | Mar 12, 2013, 07:47 AM EDT

She has become a huge turnoff with her wildly liberal views and transition into a full time professional lesbian.

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cinderfella1 | Mar 12, 2013, 05:34 AM EDT

If elected mayor, maybe she could declare St. Patrick's Day an official Holiday in NYC! and definitely paint the town green! in addition, maybe through her influence, she could help erect a statue in NYC of a famous Irish American in Central Park or name a street in New York, after a famous Irish person or town!

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seanomelb | Mar 11, 2013, 05:24 PM EDT

This site has become the altar of narrow minded bigots.

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AnPiobaire | Mar 11, 2013, 01:31 PM EDT

First in a "decade"????? Huh? Another wonderful IC headline. Try 4 or 5 decades. The last Mayor with an Irish background was Robert Wagner who left office in the mid-60's. Mayo-born Bill O'Dwyer left office in 1950.

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CavanAncestor | Mar 11, 2013, 12:26 PM EDT

Christine Quinn qualifies for the totle of most cacauphouc candidate and little else. She is the captive of every little lobby, no matter how bizarre. She opposes fingerprinting of welfare recipients (for identification purposes only) adding potential more millions to the fraud ledgers. She, like Rosie O'Donnell, has morphed into a professional lesbian. Otherwise, her resume would be largely empty. Find me a Koch!

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Mr. Boston99 | Mar 11, 2013, 12:01 PM EDT

Actually, she would be good for the Jews. Otherwise Bloomberg's machine would not be behind her. As far as for the Irish and everyone else -- I highly doubt it

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PhlutiePhan | Mar 11, 2013, 11:15 AM EDT

The "biggest parakeet in the room" is Ray Kelly lwho is a registered independent. Chrissie will win the Demo primary. Ray will then enter the race and could play his cards all the way to the White House as the independent candidate that this country needs. He could bridge the gap between left wing wackos like Chrissie and right wing capitalist slugs. Semper Fi Ray

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