NYC mayoral primary: 2 weeks to go

Politico

2 days ago

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With help from Cris Seda Chabrier
Early voting in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor opens Saturday, and in this final stretch attention is centering on just two candidates: Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani.
The past week saw a slew of endorsers backing the former governor, with some reluctance, because they preferred him to the socialist alternative. That included Orthodox Jewish leaders in Crown Heights and Borough Park and also the super PAC of the New York Apartment Association, which plans to spend $2.5 million supporting Cuomo this month.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos was the most notable. Even if she may not have many loyal followers who'll directly take her advice to vote for Cuomo, one mayoral candidate backing another (after YEARS of brutal criticism) contributes to a sense of momentum, if not inevitability, that only helps the front-runner.
The anti-Cuomo contingent, meanwhile, has continued to coalesce around Mamdani — coupled with the plea that voters don't rank Cuomo.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was the most notable there. After endorsing Mamdani on Thursday, she boogied with him at the Puerto Rican Day parade yesterday in Manhattan — a high profile appearance that quickly answered the question of whether she would campaign with her first-ranked endorsee, or just back him on paper.
'I have so much faith in him as a leader for our city to move us forward because we share in the same values,' Ocasio-Cortez told reporters in audio shared by NBC New York. 'We want a New York City for the working class, so I'm very proud to endorse Zohran as number one.'
In her next breath, Ocasio-Cortez went down the line of her other mayoral picks: Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer and Zellnor Myrie. 'All five of these candidates represent the coalition of a real New York for real working families,' she said.
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who'd previously endorsed Mamdani along with Adams and Lander, also said at the parade she was ranking Memdani number one, NY1 reports.
Cuomo was elsewhere at the parade, touting the endorsement of Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony and saying that nobody else in the race has a relationship with Puerto Ricans like he does.
Knocked for months for dodging the press, Cuomo's team has shifted strategy. He's begun putting out a public schedule and is speaking more with reporters — and he even put out a statement criticizing ICE crackdowns on protesters.
Is he nervous? 'There's definitely not an ounce of fear that is motivating why we do things,' Cuomo spokesperson Esther Jensen responded. It's simply that the primary is getting close and 'there's limited time.'
The second televised debate is Thursday night on NY1. Expect the focus to be squarely on Cuomo and Mamdani.
But it ain't over till it's over for the other contenders. Since Blake and Ramos didn't qualify for this one, we'll see if any other candidates try to follow their lead and make a last-gasp attempt to break through. — Jeff Coltin
IT'S MONDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
WHERE'S KATHY? In New York City and Albany with no public schedule.
WHERE'S ERIC? Public schedule unavailable as of Sunday at 10 p.m.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'It's human error and it happens.' — Albany County Democratic Board of Elections Commissioner Alison McClean Lane after mailers went out to voters with the wrong primary date.
ABOVE THE FOLD
ELISE WATCH: Rep. Elise Stefanik will be in Albany today to meet with Republican state lawmakers as she weighs a 2026 gubernatorial bid.
Stefanik is expected to meet with the GOP state Senate and Assembly conferences. In the morning, she'll hold a wide-ranging news conference that a spokesperson said will address 'the failures' of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Her Albany sojourn coincides with Democratic state lawmakers holding a separate morning news conference where they're expected to blast Congressional Republicans over Medicaid cuts — a potential vulnerability for GOP candidates in next year's midterm elections.
The events underscore how the political calendar is starting to shift as state lawmakers are otherwise engaged with putting the finishing touches on end-of-session legislation.
Republican Mike Lawler is expected to announce this month whether he will run for governor. (Stefanik has a lead in an early GOP primary poll, which included Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.)
Democrat Ritchie Torres signaled he'll announce a decision on whether he'll run after the June 24 primary.
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado officially launched his longshot bid last week to challenge Hochul. (More on his kickoff rally below.)
Stefanik's political activity is picking up after her nomination to become United Nations ambassador was pulled over concerns the paper-thin Republican majority in the House would be hobbled by her absence.
Since then, Stefanik has moved to form a political action committee geared toward aiding down-ballot GOP candidates in local races — an effort that could help her consolidate support, especially among suburban and New York City Republicans. She's also been appearing at GOP confabs in crucial areas like Staten Island and western New York.
Republicans have not held office statewide since 2006, when George Pataki finished his third term as governor. Since then the state has gotten bluer, with the GOP presently shut out of statewide elected office and in control of relatively little in Albany.
The midterm elections also stand to hinge on President Donald Trump, whose deep unpopularity in the Empire State will threaten to hurt Republicans up and down the ballot.
Still, Republicans view Hochul as uniquely vulnerable in a blue state where affordability and public safety have been overriding concerns. — Nick Reisman
CITY HALL: THE LATEST
DOCTORS APPOINTMENT: Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order Sunday adopting a description of antisemitism that could impact social service organizations funded with public dollars.
Adams formally adopted the definition of antisemitism defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance during an event hosted by Dr. Phil, the conservative television personality who has become increasingly close with the mayor.
'The entire Adams administration will use the IHRA working definition to identify and address instances of antisemitism across the city, as well as to raise awareness of this crisis,' Adams said. 'For example, if a city-funded organization denies the right of the Jewish people to self determination or makes an implication using stereotypes of the Jewish people, this definition gives us the tools to crack down.'
The IHRA definition uses contemporary examples to define antisemitism, according to a City Hall press release, including 'accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust,' or 'holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.'
Adams then pledged to introduce a bill in the City Council codifying the standard into law and called on Council Speaker Adrienne Adams — who is running to replace the mayor — to ensure it passes.
'Now is the time, when I give you that bill, you will sign it into law,' the mayor said.
The mayor claimed his counterpart in the Council already promised to do so. However, the speaker actually committed to exploring an executive order — exactly what the mayor did Sunday — if she were to become mayor during an interview with the UJA-Federation of New York.
In response, a spokesperson for the speaker said any legislation proposed by the mayor would go through the standard process. The spokesperson also accused City Hall of underfunding the very cause the mayor was promoting Sunday night.
'We are currently working to secure investments for programs that combat antisemitism and hate throughout our neighborhoods, which were not funded in the Mayor's Executive Budget,' spokesperson Mara Davis said in a statement. 'Unfortunately, the Mayor's Executive Budget also reduced funding for the City's Commission on Human Rights that is responsible for enforcing the City's Human Rights Law, and the commission continues to be understaffed with approximately 30 vacant staff positions that are already budgeted.'
Davis added that the Council heard nothing of the mayor's plans prior to a Sunday evening press release.
Adams signed the order at an event hosted by Dr. Phil, whose full name is Phil McGraw. The impresario hosted the event to raise awareness about antisemitism and, along with Adams, condemned Hamas and accused New York City universities of fostering antisemitism. After speeches from both, Adams and McGraw sat down for a fireside chat and took questions from Jewish community leaders. — Joe Anuta
GOLF BUDDIES: Two top aides to the mayor hit the links Sunday with President Donald Trump — a further indication of the deep ties between City Hall and the White House.
Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry and NYPD Chief of Department John Chell popped over to the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., where the duo were pictured with the commander-in-chief — both on and off the course.
'It was a true privilege to meet President Donald Trump,' Daughtry wrote in a LinkedIn post. 'I'm grateful for the warm welcome and humbled by the experience.'
Daughtry wrote that the day was filled with 'a shared commitment to service,' but neither he nor Chell responded to a request from Playbook to elaborate on their face-to-face. — Joe Anuta
THE CANDIDATES RESPOND: The Citizens Budget Commission is publishing the results of its extensive finance-focused mayoral candidate questionnaire today.
Nine City Hall hopefuls participated. Cuomo and Lander rated the city's fiscal soundness as 'fair' while Mamdani rated it 'poor.'
Nearly every candidate who completed the questionnaire said they back legislation to require mandatory deposits to the city's reserves, or 'rainy day fund.'
And nearly everyone said they would support actions to reduce uniformed overtime, including implementing a hard overtime cap, eliminating unlimited sick leave or excluding most overtime earnings from pension calculations. — Emily Ngo
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Former Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr. is backing Mark Levine's bid for city comptroller. Levine, the Manhattan borough president, and Justin Brannan, the City Council's Finance Committee chair, are the top contenders for the fiscal watchdog post ahead of this month's primary. — Emily Ngo
More from the city:
— Protesters confronted federal officers who have been cuffing immigrants and shuttling them away into unmarked cars from immigration hearings in Lower Manhattan. (amNewYork)
— Cuomo tried to make hay of city lawsuits involving Lander — but the suits are over issues such as dog-neutering, and in all but one, he was only a nominally listed defendant. (New York Post)
— Cuomo's sexual harassment accusations are playing little role in the mayoral race. (Daily News)
NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY
DELGADO LAUNCHES: Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado formally kicked off his challenge against Hochul on Saturday at the Schenectady YMCA basketball court where he spent much of his childhood.
Delgado signalled to the couple hundred attendees there he'll be running to the governor's left in the coming months. His plans? Helping more people pay their rent, expanding the number of people receiving free healthcare and creating a fund to supplement childcare workers' pay. He also criticized the state's economic development spending.
'What I'm laying out is a vision. Then you work with the legislative body collaboratively to effectuate that vision,' he said after the speech when asked about funding his agenda. 'You have to actually understand where we're going, what it is we're trying to do, as opposed to just year-to-year taking whatever you have and kind of just hopping around and saying 'OK, we hope to get this done, we hope to get that done.''
It's Delgado's first time running as an underdog since he emerged from a seven-candidate Democratic field to flip a House seat in 2018. His reemergence on the campaign trail highlighted one of the qualities that helped him win that year: He's better at energizing a crowd through a speech than any New York gubernatorial candidate since Mario Cuomo.
But even a full year on the hustings isn't enough time to connect with most voters through oratory. And his launch also highlighted his biggest roadblock. While a few officials like the Greene County Democratic chair were present, he's likely to secure negligible establishment backing, which is crucial to quickly building a statewide political infrastructure.
Indeed, he made it clear he'll be running as an outsider rather than attempting to win the establishment over.
'A lot of folks have been talking about this idea of 'loyalty' since I announced my run for governor,' he said. 'But I have to ask — loyal to who? Loyalty to what? Because loyalty to the broken system is why we're in this mess in the first place. Loyalty to political elites and special interest groups and big-time donors is what I'd argue separated the Democratic Party from the working and middle class.' — Bill Mahoney
PASSOVER AND PETITIONING: A bill to change next year's petitioning deadline will head to Hochul's desk after it won unanimous approval in the state Senate.
The measure would extend the deadline to file petitions for candidates seeking elected office by several days to accommodate the start of Passover.
'When we make our systems and election processes more inclusive, we strengthen our democracy,' said state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, the Queens Democrat who sponsored the measure with Assemblymember Alex Bores. 'When we make sure that Jewish candidates can celebrate Passover with their families and loved ones without interruption, we're showing that our government can be responsive and respectful.'
The governor typically doesn't weigh in on pending bills, but she's likely to sign it. Changing key election dates because they fall on religious holidays or sensitive anniversaries like Sept. 11 is a common practice. — Nick Reisman
More from Albany:
— Secrecy reigned during the state budget process this year, troubling Democrats and Republicans. (Times Union)
— Caucus lawmakers endorsed a package of bills meant to change New York's prison system. (Gothamist)
— Records show Delgado is doing little to earn his lieutenant governor salary. (New York Post)
KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION
FEDERAL PLAZA STANDOFF: Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Adriano Espaillat said they were denied entry Sunday to a federal building in lower Manhattan, where they and immigrant rights advocates say migrants are being detained in unsafe conditions. They sought to exercise their oversight responsibilities as members of Congress, much as House members did when they visited the federal detention center in Newark last month.
'We're very concerned about what's happening in this building,' Espaillat, a Manhattan and Bronx Democrat, said of 26 Federal Plaza. 'We will continue to come back until we have access to the 10th floor.'
Elected officials, advocates and other New Yorkers have been protesting Trump's immigration agenda and the recent practice by which federal immigration agents arrest migrants at court appearances and check-ins.
'They are apprehending people that are following the rules,' Velázquez said Sunday.
Spokespeople with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the Department of Homeland Security under Trump has leaned heavily on the use of 'expedited removal.'
A demonstration Saturday at the site in Manhattan devolved into clashes with the NYPD. The Department of Homeland Security commended New York City police on X and contrasted their response with that in Los Angeles, where the National Guard has been deployed to respond to violent protests against ICE.
'More than 150 rioters erupted to interfere with ICE's immigration enforcement operations,' DHS wrote Saturday on X of the New York City demonstrations. — Emily Ngo
More from Congress:
— Andrew Giuliani has a new high-stakes job in a global arena. (POLITICO)
— House Republicans make their choice: 'It's President Trump, not President Musk.' (POLITICO)
— Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says low-income New Yorkers could struggle to beat the heat due to Trump cuts. (Gothamist)
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
— Andrew Yang has reached out to Elon Musk with a sales pitch: Let's build a third party together. (POLITICO)
— State lawmakers are weighing how to address drugged driving. (Newsday)
— Canadian wildfires lowered air quality in parts of New York. (Times Union)
SOCIAL DATA
OUT AND ABOUT: Spotted on Friday night at a party celebrating Evan Osnos' new book 'The Haves and the Have-Yachts' ($27.90) hosted by Marcus Brauchli, Christopher Schroeder, Ed Wong and Sandy Coburn at the house of Brauchli and Maggie Farley: Rick Atkinson, Ruth Marcus, Jane Mayer and Bill Hamilton, Adam Kushner, Audie Cornish, Theo Emery, Wolf Blitzer, Ed Luce, Alexandra Reeves Givens, Ishaan Tharoor, James Mann, Jon Finer, Bill Bishop, Jason Rezaian, Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan, Margaret Talbot, Nihal Krishan, Arthur Allen, Margaret Talev, Mark Mazzetti, Sarabeth Berman, Peter Osnos, Matt Kaminski, Liaquat Ahamed, Ben Pauker, Ludovic Hood and Katy Waldman.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Former state Sen. Neil Breslin … David Lombardo of the Capitol Pressroom … Raj Goyle, chair of the 5BORO Institute… Lu-Shawn Thompson … Saima Anjam … Marvin Kalb (95) … Margaret Talev … Newsweek's Ramsen Shamon … Candi Wolff of Citi … Semafor's Sarah Amin … Brad Gallant (4-0) … Ashley Bahnken … Miles O'Brien … Ria Strasser-Galvis …
… (WAS SUNDAY): Matt Wing … AARP's Beth Finkel … Julianna Margulies …Cory Fritz of FTI Consulting … NBCUniversal's Amanda Kontor … (WAS SATURDAY): Tony Herbert … Jessica Proud … Bloomberg's Catherine Lucey … SKDK's Stephanie Reichin … FGS Global's Lars Anderson … Sulome Anderson
Missed Friday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.