Bill De Blasio Fundraiser Brings Out Cynthia Nixon, Gay Celebrities In Support Of NYC Mayoral Run

Gay Celebrities Fundraise For Bill De Blasio
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09: New York City Public Advocate and mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at a political forum on a boat in Manhattan on April 9, 2013 in New York City. Six mayoral candidates spoke at the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance's 2013 Waterfront Conference ahead of the November 2013 mayoral election. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09: New York City Public Advocate and mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at a political forum on a boat in Manhattan on April 9, 2013 in New York City. Six mayoral candidates spoke at the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance's 2013 Waterfront Conference ahead of the November 2013 mayoral election. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

A fundraiser held Sunday night for mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio and hosted by celebrity members of New York City's gay community, including "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon, sought to take a bite out of rival Christine Quinn's LGBT support.

Nixon has endorsed de Blasio -- though Quinn is the race's only gay candidate and would be the city's first openly gay mayor if elected. Nixon and other de Blasio supporters packed a Manhattan club to launch de Blasio's "LGBT for BDB" campaign.

"He's about everything I'm about," Nixon said of de Blasio during a stand-up comedy routine a discussion with Broadway star Alan Cumming. She listed de Blasio's stances on improving affordable housing and public schools, combating homelessness, the income gap and the controversial NYPD stop-and-frisk practice as priorities she backs.

"Bill has it covered," Nixon said. "Bill wants what I want, and he wants what you want."

Some attendees wore "Defeat Christine Quinn" buttons. Performers took jabs at Quinn, 46, the City Council speaker, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. One performer touted de Blasio as the most progressive mayoral candidate.

De Blasio, 52, the city's public advocate, is married with two children.

His LGBT event came three days after an Essence interview was published online in which his wife, Chirlane, revisited a 1979 essay she wrote for the magazine announcing that she was a lesbian. Asked in the newer article if she considered herself bisexual, Chirlane said, "I am more than just a label."

De Blasio has the support of 15 percent of the city's Democratic voters, second behind Quinn with 30 percent, according to a Marist Poll in April. He is followed closely in the poll by former Comptroller Bill Thompson at 14 percent and current Comptroller John Liu at 11 percent. No polling was immediately available on gay voters in the city.

Quinn, for her part, has endorsements from prominent LGBT groups including Empire State Pride Agenda and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. She has also earned support from openly gay politicians Assemb. Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan) and State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan).

"Chris Quinn has an unmatched record of fighting for the LGBT community," Quinn's campaign said in an emailed statement Sunday. "From her pivotal role in getting marriage equality passed to leading the fight against bias and hate crimes to repeatedly supporting programs to help LGBT families, youth and seniors, Chris Quinn has delivered results."

Also Sunday in the Democratic race for mayor, Thompson announced an endorsement by the Rev. Floyd Flake, who leads the 20,000-member Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica, Queens. ___

(c)2013 Newsday

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Distributed by MCT Information Services

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