Winners & Losers 10/14/16

There’s only a few weeks left in this tumultuous presidential campaign, and with all the twists and turns nobody can tell how it will end. Of course, the All-Seeing Trump may have an idea, but should we be careful what we wish for? All we know for sure is who are the latest Winners & Losers. 

WINNERS

Sean Basinski – After a two-and-a-half year battle, the director of the Street Vendor Project may soon see the fruits of his labor on every corner. The New York City Council plans to introduce legislation to modernize the quagmire of regulations that has spawned a black market for food vending permits. However, one reform would double the permits, which is sure to face opposition and has already riled up at least one midtown business leader.

Bhairavi Desai – The president of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance crashed Uber's party thanks to a state Department of Labor ruling that two drivers were in fact employees, and not independent contractors, a status for its drivers that the ride sharing company has consistently pushed. The drivers will be able to claim unemployment insurance, meaning the company will have to pay its part of the bill. While this seems a small victory, it could have larger implications in future cases.

Robert Holden – The de Blasio administration may have fumbled through admitting local opposition hindered its plans for a full-scale shelter in the Maspeth Holiday Inn Express, but the hotel owner clearly responded to near-constant protests outside his business. The owner opted to rent a fraction of the rooms for use as shelter. Whether it was a classic display of NIMBYism or an exhibit of an engaged community, it’s undeniable the Middle Village civic leader – and his counterparts in Maspeth and Elmhurst – made an impression.

Tom Suozzi – The Democratic congressional candidate is breathing easier this week, as a new poll shows him with a sizeable lead against his Republican candidate, state Sen. Jack Martins. Suozzi’s 16-point lead over Martins, barring any mishaps, makes it likely he’ll have an easy path to victory. Not bad in a district once considered a swing seat.

Lee Zeldin – It looks like Zeldin is going to have an easy final month in first congressional reelection, as the Long Island congressman has a 15-point lead over Democratic challenger Anna Throne-Holst. Zeldin, who knocked off a six-term incumbent Democrat two years ago, appears to have a clear grasp of what the voters want and are looking for in their congressman.

LOSERS

Bill de Blasio – “Terrorist?” Union suckup? “Progressive friend?” The WikiLeaked emails show the Clinton camp had a lot of words for the mayor, and most of them weren’t flattering. He’s got problems out of cyberspace too, like his apparently hush-hush plans to build a new jail on Rikers being revealed, and having to scale back plans for a Maspeth homeless shelter. Worst of all, he was shamed into talking to the Post again.

John Ceretto – After switching from the GOP to the Democratic Party last year the Niagara County lawmaker was surely persona non grata in many GOP circles. Now he is being flayed by his former colleagues after emails indicating political considerations played into the distribution of state money were published in The Buffalo News. Embroiled in a tough reelection fight, this is not the sort of publicity Ceretto wants right now.

Lisa Coico – Anyone with a full-time job should heed the case of Coico carefully – don’t lie on your expense report, especially if $150,000 is potentially in question. The City College of New York president abruptly resigned last week after the Times contacted officials with questions about her personal expenses. Now CUNY Chairman Bill Thompson is calling for a probe by the state Inspector General of Coico’s expenses. She may be out of a job, but this doesn’t look like the end of the bad news for the college’s ex-president.

Wendy Long – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hadn’t been doing all that great with female voters to begin with – and last week’s release of audio in which Trump brags about sexually assaulting women hasn’t helped. Long, the GOP candidate challenging Sen. Chuck Schumer, probably wasn’t thrilled with the timing as she hosted a “Women for Trump” rally in Albany only days later. In the end, it could have been called “Women Defend Trump.”

Alan Schulkin – Manhattan’s Democratic representative on the Board of Elections and Larry David look-alike was caught on hidden camera sharing views firmly against the Democratic Party line. Schulkin chatted up a conservative Project Veritas journalist, sharing fears of women in burqas committing voter fraud and hating on IDNYC for leading to “all kinds of fraud.” Curb your enthusiasm, buddy. De Blasio can’t be happy to hear you slamming his program.