Gang’s all here: Medley of challengers could shake up mayoral race

A hodgepodge group of challengers has entered the New York City mayoral race, potentially shaking up a contest largely stacked in Bill de Blasio’s favor.

The chief opponent appears to be Republican and Cushman & Wakefield executive Paul Massey, who has rabidly raised and spent money since declaring his candidacy in August. Retired police detective Bo Dietl, who refers to de Blasio as “Big Bird” and Massey as “Melba Toast,” has raised $390,000, third behind de Blasio, the New York Times reported. He’s running as an independent after botching paperwork to change from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party.

A millionaire developer from San Diego, Roque De La Fuente, known as Rocky, has also thrown his hat into the ring because he wants to be president, and mayor of New York City is the next best thing, his campaign manager told the Times. Rocky isn’t a city resident though, and has threatened to sue management at the ritzy Fifth Avenue apartment building for rejecting his application to buy a unit in the building. He alleges that he was rejected because he’s Hispanic. [NYT] — Kathryn Brenzel