Winners & Losers 10/7/16

Three straight weeks on the wrong side of our Winners & Losers list must be getting to the Gov’s head. “I am not a politician!” he told the Daily News’ Mike Lupica. We all want to run from our problems sometimes, but a man with such keen political instincts shouldn’t deny them. We’re sure he’ll disagree on this, too, but he’s a loser – for at least one more week.

WINNERS

Rob Astorino – Astorino must be loving every second of this Bridgegate trial. After the so-called “gossip” (or what some might call testimony under oath) that Gov. Andrew Cuomo collaborated with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to keep the controversy quiet, the Westchester county executive had a basis to call out Cuomo, his 2013 gubernatorial rival, and Christie, who headed the Republican Governors Association but did conspicuously little to support Astorino. Plus, he got to portray himself as a crusader against corruption.

Todd Kaminsky – The governor tends to take the “distant father” approach to helping other Democrats get elected – supporting from afar, but not really getting his hands dirty. But after promoting several liberal initiatives this past legislative session, Cuomo will host a fundraiser for state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Long Island Democrat running for re-election in a key race. Drinks are on the governor!

John Katko – The freshman congressman’s chances of returning to Washington, D.C., are looking pretty good five weeks out from Election Day. The Republican has a 19-point advantage over his Democratic challenger Colleen Deacon, according to a Time Warner Cable News/Siena College Poll this week. If that lead holds up, he’ll be the first incumbent to retain the 24th District in three election cycles.

David Katleski – The governor has expanded Sunday drink sales, extended a tax credit to wineries, announced the Genesee Brewery expansion – and that’s just this year! So Katleski, the New York State Brewers Association president, must have been drunk with excitement hearing about the new tax credit for breweries in the five boroughs. We’ll drink to that!

Stephanie Miner – Last week, when the Syracuse mayor was on our list for losing a fight with the governor, we wondered if she was taking the “don’t get mad, get even” approach. Turns out we called it. This week, the news broke that a Cuomo administration employee left a voicemail for a top Miner aide that a lawyer claimed “borders on a threat.” Not only did Miner turn that evidence over to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, but she also has ammunition against COR Development in her fight over the Inner Harbor project.

LOSERS

Ed Cox – When did it become acceptable for the leader of a major party’s state organization to issue threats to the moderator of a debate? Well, that’s what the New York Republicans’ chairman did just before the vice presidential debate this week, warning CBS News’ Elaine Quijano that to fact-check the candidates’ statements would be “career suicide” in a widely-panned missive. In spelling her last name “Quijado,” it became evident why the chairman was so concerned about any undue scrutiny.

Andrew Cuomo – New York’s governor appears to have more in common with his counterpart across the Hudson than alliterative last names. Neither Cuomo nor Chris Christie of New Jersey are on trial for the notorious George Washington Bridge lane closures, but both are getting indicted in the court of public opinion. Cuomo insists he didn’t conspire with Christie on a cover-up – but true or not, the damage has been done.

Jeffrey Dinowitz – We’ll have to see what happens with a lawsuit claiming the Bronx assemblyman tried to keep minorities and low-income children out of PS 24. But either way, New Yorkers now have an image of Dinowitz allegedly telling school officials he knew which kids lived outside of the district “by the way they walk, talk and wear their pants.” And despite insisting only local students should be allowed, his children attended the school while living outside its zone.

Dennis J. Martin – Things aren’t getting easier for NJ Transit’s interim director since the disastrous train crash at Hoboken Terminal. The fact that one of the black boxes wasn’t working means determining the cause of the crash could be delayed. Then reports emerged that the agency already had numerous safety violations identified by the Federal Railroad Administration. And worst of all for the average commuter is that the Hoboken station still isn’t up and running. It’s bad enough to make someone want to work for the MTA!

Eric Schneiderman – The Democratic attorney general was never going to get a glowing Wall Street Journal editorial. But surely he didn’t expect the paper to deem him “America’s worst Attorney General.” Yet his pursuit of Donald Trump’s charity didn’t play much better in the Times Union: Its editorial board suggested Schneiderman resign from Hillary Clinton’s leadership council, given that he appears to have shielded Clinton’s charity from similar scrutiny.