Could Charles Barron, the sin pelos en la lengua, outspoken, activist, radical politician be the one that forces New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to respond to neglected or overlooked issues of concern to some neoyorquinos and the City Hall press corps?
“Oh my God. He would make the mayor crazy,” said one prominent New York City Democrat politico, who laughed at the notion of Barron challenging de Blasio in the primary. “We would also have a lot of tense and, at times, funny moments.” A municipal government insider and two activists (one from the Bronx and the other from Brooklyn) had similar responses.
If he does decide to challenge de Blasio this year, it would be the second time Barron has run citywide. Barron briefly ran in the 2005 Democratic mayoral primary, and also ran in the 2010 gubernatorial election against Andrew Cuomo and others under the Freedom Party.
When Barron dropped out in 2005 to support C. Virginia Fields, he said, "I will be back. I will be mayor of New York City before I leave this planet. It may be in 2009 or it may not be until 2013, but I will be mayor someday.” Could 2017 be the year? Or will the assemblyman just give de Blasio one more dolor de cabeza?
By the way, of the four bochincheros we spoke to – all Democrats – three said they would vote for Barron. Only one said, “I’m with Bill.”
Read the rest of Gerson's Borrero's weekly column in print and subscribe to the weekly magazine.