An independent group is airing the first TV commercial of the general election for mayor this weekend to promote Republican Joe Lhota as a “common sense” alternative to Democratic opponent Bill de Blasio, The Post has learned.
The 30-second ad is being financed by the New Yorkers for Proven Leadership PAC, which has received backing from billionaire industrialist David Koch.
Its cost was put at “six figures.”
While touting Lhota, the commercial never mentions de Blasio by name. But it would be hard to miss the implicit comparisons between the Republican and Democratic candidates.
“Joe Lhota, the only candidate who will keep the stop, question and frisk policy that reduced crime by 40 percent,” says the narrator.
View videoDe Blasio is a fierce critic of stop and frisk.
“Joe Lhota, the only candidate who will give parents more options on where to send their children to school,” the ad continues.
While Lhota is a champion of charter schools, de Blasio wants to impose a moratorium on new charters and has called for charging charters rent to operate in public school buildings. Critics say that would put many out of business.
“Joe Lhota, respected and tested during Sandy and the only candidate who will take on our fiscal crisis without raising taxes. Joe Lhota, the only candidate for New York,” the ad concludes in a reference to Lhota’s stint restoring subway service quickly while serving as MTA chairman during the superstorm. .
Lhota also opposes tax hikes, while a key part of de Blasio’s campaign platform is hiking income taxes on the wealthy to finance universal pre-K and after-school programs.
New Yorkers for Proven Leadership is hoping to raise several million dollars to boost Lhota’s underdog campaign. Two polls released this week show him trailing de Blasio by more than 40 percentage points.
PAC president Mike McKeon predicted Lhota would close the gap when voters look at his “common sense” ideas compared to de Blasio’s “radical” agenda.
“We agree there is a need for change. But we don’t want radical change.
We want common sense change,” McKeon said.
“We want to build on the policies of Giuliani and Bloomberg — not tear them down. People are taking a hard look at Bill de Blasio and taking a second look at Joe Lhota. We are seeing growing support for Lhota.”