Could Staten Island carry Malliotakis to victory?

Staten Island has long been a bastion of conservative thought in the otherwise overwhelmingly liberal New York City political landscape. Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, the presumptive GOP nominee for mayor who hails from the island borough, has been gaining support for her opposition to Mayor Bill de Blasio. Could Staten Island be the key to toppling de Blasio? Anna Sanders, the City Hall reporter for the Staten Island Advance, stopped by the Slant Podcast to answer this question – as well as why the mayor is so deeply unpopular in the borough.

“With Bill de Blasio, what it comes down to is Vision Zero,” Sanders said. “Lowering the speed limit, they will never forgive him for doing that on Staten Island. Eighty-two percent of Staten Island households have at least one car, there is no subway. The Staten Island railway serves a very narrow slice of the island. … He hasn't proposed or implemented any new mass transit on Staten Island at all.”

RELATED: Nicole Malliotakis on the Slant podcast

Sanders also discussed what it’s like reporting on the de Blasio administration, Malliotakis’ campaign, and Donald Trump. You can listen to the full interview below:

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