The four Democratic mayoral contenders turned out last night at Teamsters Local 237’s headquarters in hopes of winning the endorsement of the Manhattan Democratic Party.

The City Council speaker, Gifford Miller; a former Bronx borough president, Fernando Ferrer; a congressman from Queens, Anthony Weiner; and the Manhattan borough president, C. Virginia Fields, each spoke to the thin crowd for five minutes. Mr. Miller’s campaign slogan: “I’m going to go out and prove them wrong.” Mr. Ferrer said he “sees a different kind of city.” Mr. Weiner talked about the Democratic Party’s return to its roots as “a party of ideas.” Ms. Fields, after speaking of creating jobs and “affordable housing,” had a different approach: “I ask for the first time in your life you say Madam Mayor.”

The appeals were not enough to sway the party faithful. With two candidates from Manhattan in the race, Ms. Fields and Mr. Miller, the activists voted not to endorse anyone in the primary.

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The lone candidate from the Bronx, Fernando Ferrer, was endorsed by the Bronx Democratic Party yesterday at a press conference at Borough Hall. Given Mr. Ferrer’s long tenure in Bronx politics – he served as borough president for 14 years – the endorsement of the borough’s Democratic organization had been all but assured. It will, however, probably be the only borough organization to back the Democratic front-runner. The Brooklyn and Queens party organizations have pledged their support to the City Council speaker, Gifford Miller, and the Staten Island party organization – like its counterpart in Manhattan – is expected not to issue an endorsement in the primary.

The mayoral campaign of Rep. Anthony Weiner, however, got some Bronx cheer Wednesday when Riverdale’s Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club voted 56-37 to endorse him over Mr. Miller. A Riverdale resident and erstwhile favorite of the club, Mr. Ferrer, received only three votes. The president of Manhattan, C. Virginia Fields, was shut out.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said that those who attended a candidates’ forum at the club last week “came away with the impression that Mr. Weiner was the gutsiest candidate in the race and has the best chance of defeating the Republican Michael Bloomberg.”

Across town, another nod for Mr. Ferrer came from the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, who announced their endorsement yesterday. The club also backed Norman Siegel for the office of public advocate, although the Democratic incumbent, Betsy Gotbaum, is seeking re-election.

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Fernando Ferrer is reaching out to his fellow Hispanics, with the selection of Maibe Gonzalez as his campaign’s deputy press secretary.

Ms. Gonzalez, who for 10 years has been a reporter for Spanish-language publications in New York and Latin America, was announced Wednesday as the Spanish-language press liaison for the Ferrer campaign.