Christine Quinn's Wife Joins Her On Campaign Trail As Primary Day Approaches
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Democratic New York mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn hit the campaign trail Monday with her wife in tow for the first time this election season.
Kim Catullo, a product liability lawyer, said she'll be a regular on the campaign trail leading up to primary day despite not liking the media spotlight.
"Kim looked at me and said 'I'm not so bad at this, I think I got us some votes,'" Quinn told reporters at one campaign stop Monday.
Christine Quinn's Wife Joins Her On Campaign Trail As Primary Day Approaches
When CBS 2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer asked Catullo what she said to voters to get them to vote for Quinn, her answer brought tears to Quinn's eyes.
"She's the smartest person that I know, she's the most qualified and she has a heart of gold and people need to know that. And if they know her the way that I know her, as I've told her every morning, she'll win by a landslide," Catullo said. "It's been a really tough campaign. When you love someone - and I really do love my wife - it's not an easy thing to watch. But you understand it comes with the territory and she wants a really meaningful job, it's a really important job."
Christine Quinn's Wife Joins Her On Campaign Trail As Primary Day Approaches
Quinn said Catullo's campaign stump speech was far better than her own father's years ago. He used tell people that if they didn't vote for her, she would be unemployed and he would have to pay her rent.
The primary will be held on Sept. 10. A poll released last week has Quinn in second place behind New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.
If no candidate earns 40 percent of the vote, a run-off between the two highest vote-getters will be held.
If elected, Quinn would become New York's first female and first openly gay mayor.
In interviews published earlier Monday, Catullo said she has worried about Quinn's safety because she's gotten threats directed at her for being a lesbian.
Catullo told the Daily News Quinn "has gotten threats about being gay'' but doesn't specify their nature. Catullo tells The New York Times she was concerned about her wife's safety and tried to dissuade her from running.
But Catullo says Quinn's barrier-breaking candidacy marks an "incredible moment'' for the city. Quinn is currently the speaker of the city council.
Catullo and Quinn met in 2001 and married last year.
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