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Lhota, De Blasio Make Weekend Push As Election Day Approaches

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- With just four days to go before the mayoral election, Democratic candidate and frontrunner Bill de Blasio was out Saturday reminding voters why he believes he should be the city's chief executive.

As WCBS 880's Jim Smith reported, de Blasio appeared at a get-out-the-vote rally at 72nd Street and Broadway on the Upper West Side. He stuck to his main campaign themes as he spoke.

De Blasio Rallies Supporters As Election Day Approaches

"I make this really simple," he said.

De Blasio hammered home his proposals to end stop-and-frisk, tax the rick for universal pre-kindergarten, and create 200,000 units of affordable housing.

Of his ideas, de Blasio said, "yes, they are progressive, yes they are bold."

And he said it is time for a change.

"New Yorkers believe in big ideas; bold ideas; progressive ideas that move us forward," de Blasio said. "New York has led the nation."

De Blasio urged supporters not to get complacent, despite his significant leads in the polls against Republican challenger Joe Lhota.

Local Democrats have called for a landslide and a mandate for the de Blasio agenda.

Lhota Goes Door-To-Door To Spread Message

With only a few days left until mayoral voting begins in New York, Republican candidate Joe Lhota went door to door to speak with voters.

Some of that time was spent in South Ozone Park where he told WCBS 880's Jim Smith that he was optimistic as Election Day approaches.

Lhota, De Blasio Make Weekend Push As Election Day Approaches

"I'm moving forward because I'm optimistic. So, you know the more people I meet the better off it is," he said.

Joe Lhota Goes Door-To-Door
Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota went door-to-door to speak with voters in South Ozone Park, Queens on Saturday. (Credit Jim Smith/WCBS 880)

As he listened to concerns in a neighborhood of well manicured front yards, Lhota was reminded to remember the middle class.

"And the most important thing the woman just said in her home over there. 'Don't forget the middle class', it's a very important part of it. The middle class in the city is being squeezed," Lhota said.

While meeting with voters, Lhota stressed job creation, education reform, and focusing on public safety.

"Everything good that's happened over the last 20 years started with the reduction of crime," he said.

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