Tonight’s debate: Last chance for Suozzi, Williams against Hochul

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Jun 16, 2022 View in browser   By Joseph Spector New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, left, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, center, Congressman Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., prepare to face off during New York's governor primary debate at the studios of WCBS2-TV, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) | Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo Today's Siena College poll laid out the Democratic gubernatorial race pretty clearly: Party voters had a high opinion of Gov. Kathy Hochul and much less for her two primary opponents, Tom Suozzi and Jumaane Williams. So can Suozzi and Williams change voters' opinions with less than two weeks before primary day June 28? That will be their challenge tonight in the second and final statewide televised debate. Expect a more aggressive Suozzi and Williams as they look to attack Hochul on crime and her role as lieutenant governor under scandal-scarred Andrew Cuomo, who resigned last August. "She pledged to make it the most ethical, the most transparent government in the history of New York State," Williams said during the first debate June 7. "And that simply hasn't happened." But for Hochul, the final debate largely means she needs to avoid any major gaffes or do anything extraordinary that would turn off voters as she appears a heavy favorite to win the nomination and head into the summer with a focus on winning a full term in November. In the first debate , Hochul mainly focused on her record and essentially admitted the mistake of picking Brian Benjamin as her initial second in command — a decision that led to the biggest scandal of her administration when he resigned after a federal bribery charge in April. And she played it cool during the debate, responding to each barb with a well-scripted response and avoiding any mudslinging that could backfire on her. As Hochul likes to note, she's run in more than a dozen elections in her long public career, so it's not her first time on a debate stage. "In the Empire State, in the city that never sleeps, this team is working tirelessly for you," she said in an ad released Tuesday. Voters have responded positively: The Siena poll showed 65 percent of registered Democrats viewed her favorably compared to 19 percent who did not. As for Williams, he had a 40 percent to 12 percent favorability, while Suozzi's favorability was 23 percent to 22 percent. Let's see if they can make up any ground between now and June 28. IT'S THURSDAY: Thanks for joining us for Playbook PM as we keep you up-to-date on the latest New York news from the campaign trail, in Albany and in City Hall. Summer is near, but the news is still heating up! From the Capitol Hochul signed a bill today that will open a new income stream for repairs at the cash-strapped New York City Housing Authority. The public housing preservation trust — which was among Mayor Eric Adams' top asks in Albany this year — would allow the housing authority, which has a $40 billion capital backlog, to transfer apartments to a new public benefit corporation that could tap into federally-funded rental vouchers and access bond financing. "This is going to unlock billions with a B , billions of dollars in federal funding, which will allow us to fast-track long overdue repairs and make investments in NYCHA properties throughout the city," Hochul said at a bill signing today. — Janaki Chadha FROM CITY HALL City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said she didn't take action against members who voted against the city budget. | Sarah Stier/Getty Images for QBFC MONEY MATTERS: City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams disputed that she penalized the six dissenters to the city's budget, while simultaneously criticizing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for taking to Twitter to oppose the spending plan that lawmakers passed Monday night. "Thank you to the City Council members who recognized this injustice and had the clarity and courage to vote no," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. "I know it wasn't easy, and the political + financial retribution was real." "What I would have hoped … is that if there were ever any misunderstanding, misinformation, or anything like that, that there would have been enough professional courtesy to pick up the phone and go to the source," the speaker said today in response to questions about the tweets. Adams also said one of the specific funding cuts in question was an "oversight" that would be rectified. Hours before the Council passed the city's $101.1 billion budget, the six members planning to vote against it learned their names were removed from a bonus pot of money Adams directly controls. They claimed they were being punished for speaking out against a budget they feel shortchanges public schools, while allocating too much money to the NYPD. Adams — who initially declined to dispute that charge when asked — directly countered it today. "It is not a punishment to your community to not have your name attached to an additional allocation of funding that you voted against," she said. — Sally Goldenberg and Julian Shen-Berro LET'S PLAY BALL: New York City is teaming up with politicians across the Hudson to bid on hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Mayor Adams and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy joined forces to tout their respective locales during an MSNBC interview this morning. "The governor is the striker; I'm the goalie," Adams said. "We're going to win the game for us." He touted the region's diversity, and assured viewers that the city's aging transportation infrastructure and hotel stock could handle the crowds, which he said would boost the area's pandemic-ravaged tourism sector. Adams — a retired NYPD captain — also obliquely warned his critics on the political left that their positions on criminal justice policy could indirectly hurt the local economy if the host committee looks askance at the persistent shootings across the five boroughs. The mayor is also competing to host the 2024 Democratic presidential nominating convention. He and Murphy are set to host a watch party later today in Liberty State Park, where they will learn the winning city. — Sally Goldenberg ON THE BEATS CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is creating a new position to elevate gender-based violence initiatives, POLITICO has learned. Hannah Pennington, a deputy commissioner in the Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender Based Violence, will become a deputy chief in the newly bolstered special victims division , a full-time role that will work with attorneys on cases and with new head Joyce Smith. Beverly Gilchrist, a mainstay of the D.A.'s office, will also be promoted to work alongside Smith and Pennington. — Amanda Eisenberg HEALTH CARE: The state Department of Health is in the midst of its seventh HIV Home Test Giveaway, which runs statewide outside of New York City through June 19. Commissioner Mary Bassett said the giveaway, which started in 2016 as a pilot project to make testing easier, "is another investment in our response to ending the HIV endemic in New York State." DOH is planning another HIV Home Test giveaway this fall. — Shannon Young — Nineteen people in New York City have tested positive for orthopoxvirus, which is presumed to be monkeypox, the city health department announced today. The virus is highly contagious and can produce painful sores, even in mild cases. The city health department recommends wearing a mask to protect against the virus, which is transmitted by close personal contact. — Amanda The Campaign Trail Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado picked up a key endorsement today. | Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo TEACHERS UNION ENDORSES DELGADO: New York State United Teachers endorsed Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado for the upcoming Democratic primary. The union cited his support for education through his work as a member of Congress and thus far as part of the Hochul administration. "Lt. Gov. Delgado is a champion of the vital role of public education in our society and the public servants who dedicated themselves to bettering their communities," NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said in a statement. "The Hochul-Delgado ticket is formidable, and we look forward to working with the administration for the next four years as we seek to strengthen our public school, college and hospital systems to ensure all New Yorkers have access to high quality services." — Katelyn Cordero — The union also endorsed State Sens. Andrew Gounardes (D-Brooklyn), Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) and Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) in their primaries. Pallotta said the three senators have supported union members' work and have offered the resources needed to ensure that New Yorkers can "access high-quality public services." — Madina Touré AROUND NEW YORK — The New York Health Plan Association issued a policy brief examining the drivers of rising healthcare costs that affect health insurance premiums. — Financial pressures are building at SUNY's Erie Community College.  — Most solitary confinement on Rikers Island would be banned under new legislation.  — Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is pitching fellow Democrats on his idea for a new $85 million aquarium in Syracuse.   Follow us on Twitter Anna Gronewold @annagronewold Joseph Spector @JoeSpectorNY   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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