Teamwork makes the DREAM work

Politico

23-05-2025

Presented by
With help from Cris Seda Chabrier
New York City mayoral candidates have been shifting tactics over the past week, exploring ways to try out a ranked-choice voting strategy as Andrew Cuomo's dominant lead looms.
Zohran Mamdani asked his followers to contribute to Adrienne Adams in her quest to qualify for matching funds.
The Working Families Party held a telephone town hall during which the four candidates it's backing — Mamdani, Adams, Brad Lander and Zellnor Myrie — declared what they admired about each other.
Lander and Mamdani slammed Andrew Cuomo's labor record with the United Auto Workers, then stood together to answer questions from reporters.
And when Lander, Mamdani and Scott Stringer were given the rare opportunity to question each other at an independent media forum, they all opted to criticize the former governor — who, of course, wasn't there.
But will these soft overtures suffice for any one of them to defeat the frontrunner?
The leading theory of how to beat Cuomo in the June 24 primary is for all the other candidates polling above 2 percent to band together to form a super slate and give voters a choice: You're either with us together, or you're with him alone.
In short, it's the strategy of DREAM: Don't Rank Evil Andrew for Mayor, and it's being pushed by an underfunded super PAC and adopted by the WFP. And now, occasionally, spread by the candidates themselves.
Recent polling suggests the message has yet to get across.
Cuomo maintains a 32-point lead in first-choice over his nearest opponent, Mamdani, in a SurveyUSA poll of 511 likely primary voters released Tuesday.
Results showed his standing weakens in subsequent rounds. He was 8 percent of voters' second choice, 8 percent of their third choice and 8 percent of their fourth. But with his dominant first round standing, it may not matter all that much.
These contenders who'd long ago dipped their toes in the RCV waters are now wading in. But their hair is still dry.
Mamdani fundraising for Adams was a surprise to her campaign, not a coordinated play, her spokesperson Lupe Todd-Medina told Playbook.
And not a single candidate has actually cross-endorsed or ranked one another yet. Andrew Yang ranking Kathryn Garcia almost boosted her to victory in 2021.
But some candidates, like Adams, haven't had any discussions about cross-endorsing or ranking and have 'no plans to release anything' on that, Todd-Medina said. Others like Lander are simply saying to stay tuned.
The WFP is relentlessly optimistic there's enough time to beat Cuomo, and has planned a Brooklyn rally Sunday with all four candidates. The party plans to release a ranking, but hasn't yet and won't before the rally.
'They say teamwork makes the D.R.E.A.M work,' WFP spokesperson Ella Weber said in a statement. 'NYWFP's slate of candidates is united in their belief that New Yorkers deserve better than another scandal-ridden mayor.' — Jeff Coltin
HAPPY FRIDAY. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
New York Playbook will be off this Monday but will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday.
WHERE'S KATHY? In Albany with no public schedule.
WHERE'S ERIC? Hosts a summer safety briefing in the Bronx and attends a flag-raising ceremony for Guyana.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'Many days, it feels like I'm running against Carolyn Maloney.' — An unnamed opponent in the New York City Council race against Virginia Maloney, daughter of the influential former Manhattan Congress member who's heavily involved in the race, via City & State.
ABOVE THE FOLD
IN THE LOBBY: Cuomo's mayoral campaign is intertwined with a New York City-based lobbying firm that is providing services for free and stands to have a top ally in City Hall if he wins.
Cuomo's arrangement with Tusk Strategies is saving the Democratic frontrunner tens of thousands of dollars on consulting fees, based on a review of rates his rivals pay for similar services. That allows him to spend more money on direct outreach to voters in the form of TV ads, mailers and digital spots.
The Democrat's campaign is employing at least four people from another major lobbying firm, Mercury Public Affairs, in Cuomo's bid to oust Mayor Eric Adams. Campaign spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said Mercury is being paid as a general consultancy. He then cited lobbyists working for opponents Zellnor Myrie, Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander and Eric Adams.
Tusk presents a different case.
The prominent firm, which ran Andrew Yang's 2021 mayoral campaign, has been playing an integral role in Cuomo's bid since before he entered the race in March, ahead of the June 24 primary.
CEO Chris Coffey is involved in the campaign, providing communications advice to the former New York governor and handling outreach to the city's politically influential Orthodox Jewish leaders, as first reported by POLITICO. His business partner, Shontell Smith, works as the political director of Cuomo's campaign.
Tusk Strategies paid for two public polls — one in February, released days before Cuomo entered the race, and a second less than month after the March campaign launch — which found the former governor handily leading the primary field. Both surveys were conducted by the Honan Strategy Group and helped solidify a perception of inevitability around Cuomo that helped with endorsements and fundraising.
Coffey described his role as an 'informal advisor in a volunteer capacity.' Azzopardi said Smith is paid directly by the campaign 'in a personal capacity.'
Coffey said the campaign does not take up much of his time, though three people familiar with his role in Cuomo's circle — who were granted anonymity to freely discuss its inner workings — recently described it as more involved than he did.
Read more from POLITICO'S Nick Reisman and Sally Goldenberg.
CITY HALL: THE LATEST
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Lander will challenge GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis to debate him on the Medicaid rollbacks that cleared the House early Thursday, delivering a 'cartoonishly large' invitation this morning to her Brooklyn office.
The Democratic candidate for mayor is generally in third or fourth place in a primary dominated by Cuomo in first place.
The debate gimmick shows he's seizing every opportunity to prove he'd forcefully confront the Trump and GOP agenda as mayor. Lander has planned the debate time (next Wednesday evening), place (a church in the Bay Ridge portion of Malliotakis' district) and sponsors (the Bay Ridge Democrats, Indivisible and others).
He just needs a debate partner. And if Malliotakis doesn't participate? Lander says he'll debate an empty chair and cardboard cutout.
Malliotakis, the city's only Republican House member and the 2017 GOP nominee for mayor, and her spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Staten Island and Brooklyn lawmaker has said the GOP megabill shows her party delivers for middle-class Americans and senior citizens while Democrats prioritize 'fraudsters and illegal immigrants.' — Emily Ngo
ALSO FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Manhattan borough president candidate Brad Hoylman-Sigal is releasing an ad today that features former beep Gale Brewer telling voters, 'I am voting for Brad Hoylman-Sigal for borough president!'
The six-figure ad buy is the first big spend from the campaign one month before the primary. It will appear on Meta, YouTube TV and other online video platforms starting next week, and will eventually air on cable in the next few weeks, his campaign said.
'Our new ad highlights two Manhattan icons — the New York City subway and Councilmember Gale Brewer!' Hoylman-Sigal, a state senator, said in a statement. 'In the final month of the campaign, believe me, I'll be riding the subway with Gale and meeting as many Manhattan voters as possible.'
Hoylman-Sigal's campaign has about $960,000 in the bank, short of the $1.03 million on hand for rival Keith Power's campaign. — Jason Beeferman
ANOTHER FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: But Powers has a leg up on Hoylman-Sigal when it comes to law enforcement endorsements and a claim to the mantle of law-and-order Democrat.
The City Council member seeking to be the next Manhattan borough president will roll out four police union nods today: the Lieutenants Benevolent Association, the Detectives Endowment Association, the Captains Endowment Association and the Sergeants Benevolent Association.
'We can't afford out-of-touch representatives who don't understand the public safety crisis our city faces,' captains union president Chris Monahan said in a statement. 'We need Keith Powers.'
Powers' bid is also backed by firefighters' unions, 32BJ SEIU and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council.
Hoylman-Sigal, a state senator, has several labor unions in his corner, including 1199 SEIU and the Actors' Equity Association. — Emily Ngo
More from the city:
— Several women who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment just three years ago say they feel betrayed and forgotten. (HuffPost)
— The public advocate primary between Jenifer Rajkumar and Jumaane Williams is getting weird, with comic strips and polling intrigue abound. (City & State)
— Airbnb, Uber and REBNY are among the major power players looking to pick winners in the upcoming election by funding super PACs. (THE CITY)
NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY
SURVIVOR SUPPORT: Advocates for survivors and victims of sexual abuse are making an end-of-session push for a four-bill package to strengthen legal protections.
'Survivors shouldn't have to navigate burdensome legal obstacles that make it even harder to access the justice they deserve, and the justice that supports their healing,' said Emily Miles, the executive director of the NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault.
One measure is designed to make it more difficult to file defamation suits against people who make assault, harassment or discrimination claims. Another bill would make it easier for people in state custody — including prisons and mental health facilities — to file abuse claims.
Advocates will also press to end the civil statute of limitations for child abuse by creating a uniform standard and expand corporate liability for sexual misconduct.
The bills are being sought as high-profile sexual misconduct cases — disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and music producer Sean Combs — are playing out in New York City. Advocates will hold a rally and press conference today at Foley Square — steps from where those trials are taking place. — Nick Reisman
More from Albany:
— State lawmakers want to put the squeeze on airlines that do business with ICE. (Newsday)
— Hochul poked fun at the Albany press corps during its annual gridiron dinner. (City & State)
— Business leaders want the Legislature to oppose a construction wage bill. (Times Union)
KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION
'BIG, BEAUTIFUL' SNOOZE: Rep. Andrew Garbarino missed his party's big moment early Thursday, falling asleep and failing to appear for the final House vote to approve the GOP megabill and send it to the Senate.
The Long Island Republican's fumble comes despite his advocacy in this week's intense intraparty negotiations over raising the state and local tax deduction cap and securing clean energy tax credits. And it came as House Republicans worked overnight at the U.S. Capitol to advance Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.'
Garbarino had been in place for a procedural vote in the 2 a.m. hour. And he was helping to get colleagues onboard and tie up other loose ends until around 4:30 a.m. But the moderate lawmaker had ducked out — going to his office for some quick shut-eye, according to a colleague — between then and the final passage just before 7 a.m.
Garbarino was headed back and 'moments away' from the House floor to cast his 'yes' vote when the process closed, he said in a statement. He added that he plans to vote on the legislation when it returns to the House from the Senate.
The New York Post mocked him as 'Rep Van Winkle.' But his fellow House members were more sympathetic, even if Republicans advanced their megabill by just one vote.
'My great friend Andrew played an essential role in negotiations among Members,' House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) posted on X after earlier being the first to publicly disclose that Garbarino's snooze made him miss the vote.
'I'm going to just strangle him,' Johnson had joked, 'but he's my dear friend.'
Rep. Nick LaLota, who was alongside Garbarino for the weeks of SALT negotiations, told Playbook, 'It's unfortunate that a lot of the spotlight is on a missed vote, not on the good work he did leading up to the vote to protect Medicaid, to get a higher SALT cap and to promote other good, common sense, conservative issues in the bill.'
LaLota did not know the specifics of Garbarino's whereabouts during the night. Rep. Mike Lawler, meanwhile, told Playbook he was with Garbarino as they, other House members and White House liaisons tackled 'outstanding issues' before the vote.
'It's unfortunate that happened, but Andrew was vital to getting the bill passed and an agreement on SALT,' said Lawler, a fellow SALT Republican.
Long Island Democrat Rep. Tom Suozzi was understanding, too. 'I feel bad for him,' Suozzi told Playbook. 'We were all tired.' — Emily Ngo
More from the delegation:
— Senate Republicans are preparing for a 'big, beautiful' rewrite of the megabill that the House just moved. (POLITICO)
— House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sketched out Democrats' attacks on the Republican megabill — and engaged in a brief testy exchange. (POLITICO)
— New York House GOP members cheer the tax bill while Democrats decry it. (Spectrum News)
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
— New York City and Long Island police are increasing security after the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington. (Newsday)
— Mahmoud Khalil testified that he had never imagined that the United States would persecute him for his speech and said his deportation could lead to 'assassination, kidnapping, torture.' (New York Times)
— Beach season in New York City is just beginning. For new lifeguards, it began months ago. (THE CITY)
SOCIAL DATA
MAKING MOVES: Former New York City Deputy Mayor of Operations Meera Joshi is now president of Green-Wood Cemetery. (New York Times)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder … former FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh … Assemblymember Vivian Cook … DHC's Arthur Goldstein … Manhattan Chamber's Jessica Walker … Joyce Li … Lindsey Christ … Christopher Duryea … former AG Bill Barr … William Minor of DLA Piper … ABC's Mary Bruce … NBC's Danielle Dellorto … Matthew Nussbaum … Anna Gohmann … (WAS THURSDAY): J. Michael Schell ... Connie Bruck ... Sandy Cardin ... Noah Feldman ... David H. Hoffman ... Peter Walker Kaplan … (IS SATURDAY): Brooklyn district leader Julio Peña III … (IS SUNDAY): Zellnor Myrie campaign deputy press secretary Nader Granmayeh
Missed Thursday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.