CATS NIPS MAYOR RUN – CONFIDENTIAL:
NO NEED TO Cats your vote. Supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis ended a summer of speculation by doubling down on his May announcement that he’s not running for mayor. Period.
The Hamptons donor class had been buzzing that the Gristedes boss (photo inset) was considering a run after seeing him make the rounds at high-profile charity events this season including Saturday’s Southampton Hospital Summer Party.
“He told friends, ‘I’m not running against Mayor de Blasio because I don’t think he can be beat this time around,’ ” according to one politico who cornered the 68-year-old businessman on the East End. Cats made similar comments before summertime got underway, but the rumor mill had it that he was rethinking that decision.
“He’s been going to animal rights events and the kinds of things you go to when you’re running for office,” according to our spy. One of the reasons Catsimatidis cited for finding de Blasio invincible is the current mayor’s popularity with teachers. It was revealed in mid-May, shortly after Catsimatidis announced his noncandidacy, that De Blasio had issued 50,000 parking placards to city school staffers. Around that time, the United Federation of Teachers also endorsed the incumbent.
“How can you run against that?” Catsimatidis asked partygoers.
Catsimatidis, a Brooklyn Tech grad, is worth an estimated $3.5 billion. He lost in the Republican primary in 2013.
According to our insider, conservatives out east don’t see a contender who can knock the Democratic mayor out of office on Nov. 7. Bo Dietl may be the loudest voice on the right, though our insider — who reminds us that the last presidential election shows anything can happen — says the ex-cop’s name doesn’t come up a lot among blue bloods.
That said, Dietl has been actively campaigning around town with nightlife promoter
Noel Ashman, who is helping the 66-year-old New York native shore up celebrity support with nightclub events attended by dancer Glover, record producer Damon Dash, singer Freedom Williams and actors Vincent Pastore and Will DeMeo. Just before the weekend, Dietl rallied at Rao’s.