Gotbaum Faces Off Against Golub, Whom She Already Defeated

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Betsy Gotbaum, who is running for reelection as public advocate, beat five rivals during a hotly contested Democratic primary, but last night she had to face one of those challengers again during a debate mandated by the Campaign Finance Board. The challenger, Jay Golub, a dentist from Queens who is a Republican turned Democrat, is also a candidate on the Conservative Party line. Dr. Golub wasted no time picking up where he left off during the Democratic primary, attacking Ms. Gotbaum as an ineffective public advocate who is virtually unknown among the electorate.


This issue was underscored by the first question of the debate, which took place in the studios of the cable news channel NY1. The debate’s moderator, NY1 political reporter Dominic Carter, asked Ms. Gotbaum whether any New Yorker would notice if the office of public advocate “disappeared.”


Ms. Gotbaum said people would quickly feel the absence of the advocate’s office as a check against the power of the mayor. She cited her efforts to help reform the food-stamp application process as an example of her accomplishments. Throughout the debate, Ms. Gotbaum contrasted her three decades experience working in government, as an adviser to three mayors, and as parks commissioner, to that of Dr. Golub, who has never held public office. Ms. Gotbaum has spent $2.6 million on her reelection effort; Dr. Golub’s campaign costs have totaled $60,400.


When asked whether switching to the Democratic Party and then also running on the Conservative line made him a “political opportunist,” Dr. Golub lashed out at what he called “the one-sided political primary” process that often decides elections in a heavily Democratic city.


Last night’s “lightning round” offered pithy insights into the habits and minds of the two candidates. Each agreed that the recent teachers contract was good for both teachers and the city; both said they have smoked marijuana; neither would confirm Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court; neither take the subway every day; neither believes the city is prepared for a massive flu outbreak.


Dr. Golub prefers a baseball game to the theater; Ms. Gotbaum does not. Dr. Golub has shopped at Wal-Mart; Ms. Gotbaum has not. Ms. Gotbaum said Mayor Bloomberg is a true Republican; Dr. Golub said he is not.


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