New York City's newly elected mayor says he will run the nation's largest city with a very different leadership style: a hands-on approach that draws upon two decades in politics, with significant input from his poet-activist wife.
"I think it's fair to say the most important voice in my life is Chirlane McCray," Bill de Blasio said after a landslide victory Tuesday that made him the city's first Democratic mayor since 1989. "In terms of a formal role, in terms of what kind of specific issues she may focus on, that will take some time to work out."
De Blasio, who is white, and McCray, who is African-American, met while they both worked for former Mayor David Dinkins in the early 1990s.
The couple often draw comparisons to Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, and de Blasio has worked for both.
DeBlasio and McCray worked closely on strategy during de Blasio's mayoral win. McCray joined most political meetings and had the final edit of major speeches.