The 1989 New York City mayoral election was held on Tuesday, November 7.
Incumbent Mayor Ed Koch, who had served since 1978, ran for an unprecedented fourth term in office but was defeated in the Democratic Party primary by Manhattan Borough President David Dinkins. Dinkins went on to narrowly defeat U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Rudy Giuliani, the candidate of both the Republican Party and Liberal Party of New York. Dinkins won with 50.42% of the vote to Giuliani's 47.84%.
Whereas the two preceding mayoral elections of the 1980s had been landslide victories for Koch, who had not lost a single borough and had received the co-endorsement of the Republican Party in 1981, this election was a closely contested race. Dinkins won majorities in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, while Giuliani carried Queens and won a landslide on Staten Island. At the time, this was the strongest showing for a candidate on the Republican line since 1965 (not counting Koch's 1981 cross-endorsement), and the first since then that a candidate on the Republican line managed 30 percent of the vote.
Four years later, in the 1993 election, Dinkins and Giuliani would face each other again in a re-match and Dinkins would lose to Giuliani in his bid for re-election. Democrats would not win a mayoral election in New York City again until 2013. This was the first of two elections in a row where the incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic primary Candidates David Dinkins, Manhattan Borough President Harrison J. Goldin, New York City Comptroller Ed Koch, incumbent Mayor since 1978 Richard Ravitch, former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Declined Andrew Stein, President of the New York City Council
Polling Poll sourceDate(s)Sample sizeDavidDinkinsHarrisonGoldinEdKochAndrewSteinJohnson/Singer Inc.Dec. 10, 19881,20434%6%29%17%
Results
Republican primary
Candidates Rudy Giuliani, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Ronald Lauder, son of Estée Lauder and former U.S. Ambassador to Austria Results
General election Debates + 1989 New York City mayoral election debates Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Republican Right to LifeKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn David Dinkins Rudy Giuliani Henry F. Hewes1 Nov. 1, 1989 El Diario La PrensaNational Hispanic Council on AgingWADO, WPIX, WXTV Orlando Garcia C-SPAN 2 Nov. 5, 1989 WNBC-TV Gabe Pressman C-SPAN
Candidates Warren L. Baum (Libertarian) David Dinkins, Manhattan Borough President (Democratic) Lenora Fulani, psychologist, activist and candidate for President of the United States in 1988 (New Alliance) Rudy Giuliani, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (Republican and Liberal) James E. Harris (Socialist Workers) Henry F. Hewes, consultant (Right to Life) Ronald S. Lauder, son of Estée Lauder and former U.S. Ambassador to Austria (Conservative)
Results
By borough
References