Winners & Losers
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers
Who’s up and who’s down this week?
Winners & Losers City & State
The grind of campaign season in New York City and budget season in Albany is no joke. So don’t neglect self-care: rip off that mouth tape, dunk your head in a bowl of fruit-filled Saratoga ice water and lock in. (Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York City Department of Sanitation are on board.) The last thing you want is to get groggy and complacent and accidentally leak sensitive information on a private messaging app. (We’re looking at you, Signal-user Mayor Eric Adams.) Keep reading to find out which New York politicos locked in this week and who still has some work to do to build a winning morning routine.
Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher -
The New York City Council is setting rules to reduce the city’s abundant (and unsightly) scaffolding and sidewalk sheds. The sweeping bills, sponsored by Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, will cut the duration of sidewalk shed permits, install increased LED light fixtures in sidewalk sheds and mandate that the Department of Buildings expand the color and design options for sidewalk sheds. Who says scaffolding can’t be fashionable?
Simcha Felder -
Simcha Felder’s commute to work just got a lot shorter, and his wallet just got a little thicker following his landslide victory over Republican candidate Harold “Heshy” Tischler in the special election for New York City Council District 44. Despite a dismally low voter turnout, Felder secured over 80% of the vote and will now vacate his seat in the state Senate to return to the City Council, representing the same district he served for two terms over a decade ago.
Zohran Mamdani -
“Please stop giving me money!” That’s what Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani said recently as he announced that he’s done fundraising for the mayoral primary, having reached the public financing cap. Even setting aside the over $8 million (with projected matching funds) that he says he’s raised, it’s been a good week for Mamdani. A trio of recent polls show he’s surged to second place in the race – though he’s still far behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who continues to dominate the pack.
Bruce Blakeman -
If this is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s “show,” then it probably comes on before Real Housewives. Blakeman lost his cool on the floor of the Nassau County Legislature while going back and forth with Democrats and threatening to kick out one member. In the end, the county legislature failed to pass his $428 million infrastructure plan, leaving things in limbo for the time being. Maybe he can change the channel.
Elise Stefanik -
Elise Stefanik is used to ousting high profile leaders, but now she’s the one hearing “you’re fired!” President Donald Trump asked Stefanik to withdraw her cabinet nomination as United Nations ambassador. On Truth Social, Trump confirmed Republican worries about potentially losing Stefanik’s seat in a special election and said North Country residents “love Elise.” For now, Stefanik will continue representing her district, where she recently conducted a farewell tour.
James McDonald -
Don’t call it a delay. No, really. State Health Commissioner James McDonald is adamant that the 30-day “grace period” for the CDPAP transition doesn’t mean that his agency and PPL dropped the ball on ensuring hundreds of thousands of home care users and workers will continue to have access to that care and to pay. Just don’t look at the man behind the current desperately asking for volunteers to help out with the controversial transition. And don’t even talk to him about federal cuts to health care funding.