And Then There Was One (Republican Mayoral Candidate)

The Republican field for mayor narrowed to one on Wednesday after Paul Massey suspended his campaign. He said the problem was money, but the decision followed his lackluster performance at a GOP debate.

"The cost of running for office is extraordinary, and I do not see a path to raising the necessary funds to beat an incumbent mayor," Massey said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the real-estate-executive-turned-candidate was raising money at a rapid pace, leading the fundraising pack as of his January filing. So far, he’s brought in $5.7 million. More than $2.7 million of that total was money he loaned his election committee.

But the campaign has spent at just as quick a clip. It has disbursed more than $3.7 million, and still owes the candidate more than $1.6 million in loan repayments, leaving an account balance of just $607,963. Massey was not a participant in the city’s Campaign Finance Board’s public matching program.

Massey’s withdrawal came just a few hours after he appeared before a deep-pocketed crowd at the Yale Club in Midtown, during which he did not help his cause. Without citing any evidence, the Republican candidate accused Mayor Bill de Blasio of fudging the city's record-low crime numbers. Massey even served up a Trump-like campaign slogan: New York Proud Again.

Sharing the dais was Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis of Staten Island, who accused Massey of offering "pie-in-the-sky ideas." She served up a blistering attack on de Blasio for failing to respond to Tuesday’s A train derailment that injured more than 30 people.

Malliotakis characterized the incident as "the biggest lack of leadership that I have seen from any elected official, I think, in my entire career." She added, "And that’s saying a lot because I’m coming from Albany."

Neither de Blasio nor Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who controls the MTA — and whose schedule listed him in the city yesterday — visited the scene.

After the debate, veteran communications consultant George Artz said the contrast between the two mayoral hopefuls was clear.

"Massey talked in generalities and I think did not impress the audience," Artz said. He added, "Malliotakis could be a potent candidate, but you run an uphill fight being a Republican in this city."

Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York City more than six to one, according to voter registration numbers.

"Today’s decision by Paul Massey clears the field in the race for mayor. I will now be able to focus all my energies on defeating Bill de Blasio in the November election," Malliotakis said in a statement.

She added, "He may attempt to run and hide from the press, but he won’t be able to run from me. This will be a tough race, but I’m ready for the fight and together with all those New Yorkers who have had it with Bill de Blasio. We will make him a one-term mayor."

De Blasio campaign manager Rick Fromberg responded by accusing Malliotakis of being a right-wing candidate whose positions would hurt children, working families and health care

"New Yorkers expect their Mayor to stand up to Donald Trump, not imitate him," said Fromberg. "Unfortunately, Bill de Blasio's opponents haven't gotten the message."