0 0 5 , ▁the ▁first ▁t ally ▁indicated ▁that ▁Fer rer ▁gar ner ed ▁ 3 9 . 9 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁final ▁vote . ▁He ▁needed ▁ 4 0 % ▁to ▁avoid ▁a ▁run off , ▁but ▁Anthony ▁D . ▁We iner , ▁the ▁second - place ▁finish er , ▁conced ed , ▁thus ▁ens uring ▁Fer rer ▁would ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁election . ▁A ▁final ▁count ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁votes ▁indicated ▁that ▁Fer rer ▁actually ▁received ▁ 4 0 . 1 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes . ▁ ▁Fer rer ▁also ▁defeated ▁Manh attan ▁Bor ough ▁President ▁C . ▁Virginia ▁Field s ▁and ▁City ▁Council ▁Spe aker ▁G iff ord ▁Miller . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁campaign ▁he ▁was ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁Att orney ▁General ▁and ▁g ubern atorial ▁candidate ▁Eli ot ▁Sp itzer , ▁Sen ators ▁Charles ▁Sch umer ▁and ▁Hill ary ▁Cl inton , ▁former ▁Democratic ▁Vice ▁President ial ▁nom ine e ▁Sen . ▁John ▁Edwards , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Howard ▁Dean , ▁Re ver end ▁Al ▁Sh ar pton , ▁the ▁Working ▁Famil ies ▁Party ▁and ▁former ▁Mayor ▁David ▁D ink ins . ▁ ▁Bill ▁Cl inton ▁end ors ed ▁Fer rer ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 0 . ▁Despite ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁the ▁end ors ement , ▁local ▁media ▁such ▁as ▁ 1 0 1 0 ▁W IN S : ▁emphas ized ▁minor ▁s na f us , ▁arg uing ▁that ▁" F er rer ' s ▁golden ▁opportunity ▁was ▁nearly ▁was