Republican closes gap in final hours of mayoral poll

Voters in New York went to the polls yesterday to choose a mayor to replace Rudolph Giuliani, the hugely popular incumbent. Whoever emerges victorious today will face the double task of healing the city's battered spirits and rebuilding the area in lower Manhattan where the twin towers stood.

The contest, which has been overshadowed by the tragedy of 11 September, turned in the final hours into a political thriller, as opinion polls showed the Republican contender, Michael Bloomberg, abruptly closing the gap on his Democrat rival, Mark Green. The race last night seemed to be a dead heat.

And in the final days, it also turned nasty. A television spot aired on Monday by Mr Green, who is the city's Public Advocate, highlighted a lawsuit filed against Mr Bloomberg by a female employee in his financial news company. In court papers, she said that when she told Mr Bloomberg she was pregnant, he responded, "Kill it!". The case was settled by Mr Bloomberg out of court.

Until just two weeks ago, Mr Bloomberg, 59, who has no political experience, was trailing in the polls by 16 per cent or more. The race seemed to be Mr Green's to lose.

His fortunes changed, however, when he received the endorsement of Mr Giuliani. Mr Bloomberg also had a powerful financial advantage throughout the campaign – he spent some $50m (£34m) of his own money. Mr Green, who is 57, spent about $12m.

The voting marked the beginning of the end for Mr Giuliani, who will be stepping down on 31 December after serving two four-year terms. He was prohibited from running again by term-limit laws. "There is no sadness at all," Mr Giuliani said after casting his ballot yesterday. "I have given the job everything I have been capable of doing and I feel enormously proud."

In theory, Mr Green should have had an easy run at occupying Gracie Mansion, the mayoral residence.

The city, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by five to one, has elected a Republican as mayor only four times in 100 years. However, about 15 per cent of the voters were said to be still undecided when polling stations opened.

Pat Soiaka, a registered Democrat, said she had voted for Mr Bloomberg. "Green would do what [Mayor David] Dinkins did," she said, referring to the last Democrat who held the job at a time of fiscal crisis and high unemployment in the city. "He'll raise taxes and we'll end up bankrupt," she said.

Mr Giuliani said in the last hours of campaigning: "We need a mayor who understands our economy, who understands how to help build jobs." He added: "We need a man who in his background has shown he can do that. We have that man in Mike Bloomberg."