After months of mulling it over, Red Apple Group [TRDataCustom] CEO John Catsimatidis released a statement Monday saying he would not make a bid for mayor in 2017.
“I have often said I have one more race in me. But, after careful consideration and consultation with my family, friends an advisers, I have decided the 2017 race for mayor of New York will not be it.”
In January, Catsimatidis told The Real Deal in an interview at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C., that if Hillary Clinton decided to run for the post, he would not. At the time, Catsimatidis said there was a “50-50” chance of a Clinton candidacy. Clinton, for her part, has never publicly indicated that she plans to run for mayor.
Catsimatidis last ran for mayor, unsuccessfully, in 2013, losing the Republican primary race to Joe Lhota.
Although a longtime donor and supporter to both Bill and Hillary Clinton, Catsimatidis gave to Donald Trump‘s presidential campaign multiple times and attended his inauguration.
Last month, Bill Staniford, former CEO of PropertyShark, said he is no longer planning to run for mayor. At the moment, de Blasio’s challengers include Cushman & Wakefield executive Paul Massey, Rev. Michael Faulkner, former NYPD detective Bo Dietl and Assembly member Nicole Malliotakis.