1997 New York City mayoral election
The New York City mayoral election of 1997 occurred on Tuesday November 4, 1997, with incumbent Republican mayor Rudy Giuliani soundly defeating Democratic Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger and several third-party candidates. Democratic primary Candidates Ruth Messinger, Manhattan Borough President Al Sharpton, Baptist minister, activist, and founder of National Action Network Sal Albanese, New York City councilman Withdrew Fernando Ferrer, Bronx Borough President (1987–2001) General election Candidates Rudy Giuliani, incumbent mayor of New York City (Republican, Liberal) Ruth Messinger, Manhattan Borough President (Democratic) In the general election, Giuliani had the Republican and Liberal ballot lines, but not the Conservative line. Giuliani had run on the same two ballot lines in his unsuccessful 1989 mayoral campaign and in his winning campaign in 1993. Conservative Party leaders were unhappy with Giuliani on ideological grounds, citing the Liberal Party's endorsement statement that Giuliani "agreed with the Liberal Party's views on affirmative action, gun control, school prayer and tuition tax credits." Campaign Giuliani's opponent in 1997 was Democratic Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger, who had beaten Al Sharpton in the Democratic primary on September 9, 1997. The results of the Democratic primary were contested in court by Sharpton, who argued that he qualified for