Mayor Bloomberg’s re-election bid kicked off yesterday with the endorsement of a prominent black minister a move that cuts into the base of his leading opponent, Comptroller William Thompson.
The Rev. A.R. Bernard, who leads Brooklyn’s 30,000-member Christian Cultural Center, lauded the mayor as a proven manager.
“I have a great friendship with Comptroller Thompson,” Bernard said. “He, of course, was disappointed, but he understood and respected my position.”
Bernard, who’s on the board of the city’s Economic Development Corp., has twice before endorsed Bloomberg.
“It’s not a blow at all,” said Eddie Castell, Thompson’s campaign manager. “Over the course of this campaign, we’re going to be rolling out plenty of endorsements in Brooklyn with . . . leadership across the city in every neighborhood.”