Democrat de Blasio Wins New York City Mayor's Race

Liberal Democrat Bill de Blasio cruised to victory Tuesday and will succeed New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, marking the first time a Democrat has captured City Hall in two decades, local media reported.

De Blasio, the city's public advocate, beat Republican rival Joe Lhota by promising to bridge the gap between the "two New Yorks": one rich, one poor.

The New York Times cited exit polls in projecting de Blasio as the winner shortly after the polls closed at 9 p.m.

Lhota was a former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

De Blasio will be sworn into office in January.