| | | | |  | | By Anna Gronewold , Erin Durkin and Julian Shen-Berro | Presented by For the Many Environmental Action Inc | We've heard what Gov. Kathy Hochul has in mind for New York if she is reelected. Her opponent, Rep. Lee Zeldin, has plans too, if he becomes the first Republican elected statewide in two decades — and he filled in some details with POLITICO's Joe Spector. (Though a more succinct version might be found on the lips of Times Square's Naked Cowboy, who sings that he is fully Team Zeldin .) First off, Zeldin says "a story that will be written in 2023 is how well Governor Zeldin is working with Mayor [Eric] Adams to save New York City." In addition to the Democratic mayor of the nation's largest city, Zeldin said he wants to work "with all 213 state legislators. Some state legislators may decide that they just absolutely don't want to work with me, but my desire is to work with any state legislator of any district, of any party, of any ideology to try to find common ground however possible." His pledge to declare a state of emergency on crime is a strategy to get the Legislature "to come to the table to fix these laws," he said, of the bail policies he's centered his campaign around criticizing. Zeldin maintains — amid skepticism from Hochul and other Democrats — that he's not focused on changing abortion laws in New York, primarily because "there's a less-than-zero-percent chance that [Assembly Speaker] Carl Heastie is going to send me a bill that rolls back that law." He thinks the state can both lower taxes and have spending money to play with by "whatever we can do to just unleash different industries that are being purposely held back by government — that alone generates revenue." That includes making efforts to reverse the state's fracking ban. Most of these goals are easier said than done, but those who have known Zeldin longer than the past year of his campaign say there's an intensity that shouldn't be underestimated, according to a profile from The New York Times . Former Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop, who defeated Zeldin in 2008 but lost to him six years later, told the Times that Zeldin "comes across as your mildly opinionated next-door neighbor. But debate him — be on the receiving end of some poison-pen-type emails and postings — and that's not who he is." | 
Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin greets supporters at the end of a campaign rally on Oct. 31, 2022, in Westchester, N.Y. | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo |
IT'S THURSDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: EDurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com , or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold
WHERE'S KATHY? On the New York City campaign trail speaking at the 1199 Clergy Breakfast, greeting TWU Workers at a shift change, holding a Women's GOTV Rally with Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and speaking at the Queens County Democratic Committee Dinner. WHERE'S ERIC? Delivering remarks at an affordable housing ribbon-cutting, a Panamanian flag-raising ceremony, the National Association of Minority Contractors affirmation gala and the NYPD Middle East and Turkey Society annual dinner gala, making a health- and housing-related announcement, joining the Mayor's Office of Talent and Workforce Development's first interagency cabinet meeting and hosting a New York CannaBusiness Chamber of Commerce reception.
| | | | A message from For the Many Environmental Action Inc: For the Many Environmental Action fights for environmental justice for communities throughout New York State. When you vote this year, make sure to flip your ballot over and vote YES on Proposition 1, a historic investment in clean water, green jobs, and climate resiliency for New York. | | | |  | What City Hall's reading | | " A Group Raised Money to Push Adams's Agenda. Much of It Went to One Man ." by The New York Times' Nicholas Fandos and Dana Rubinstein: "With Mr. Adams's fund-raising help and stamp of approval, the PAC, Striving for a Better New York, ultimately raised a little over $1.3 million. It promised to use the money to support state candidates aligned with him. But a year later, with the critical midterm elections looming, by far the largest share of the committee's spending has gone not to candidates fighting for election, but instead to the group's leader, the Rev. Alfred L. Cockfield II, and his associates. Mr. Cockfield has collected more than $126,000 in wages and consulting fees for his work as chairman, according to public campaign documents filed last week." " New details emerge in probe of NYC building commish Eric Ulrich over alleged gambling ," by New York Post's by Elizabeth Rosner, Larry Celona and Mark Lungariello: "New York City's building commissioner is under investigation for his conduct dating back to when he was a city councilman — and not his current role, sources told The Post Wednesday. Commissioner Eric Ulrich, 37, was questioned by investigators with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for more than two hours on Tuesday, as part of the criminal gambling probe, the sources confirmed. It came as a search warrant was served on his home in Queens and his cell phone seized. Ulrich — a Republican who represented the borough's 32nd District from 2009 until last year — has not been charged with a crime. Sources said the year-long investigation, which initially focused on organized crime, doesn't pertain to Ulrich's current role as head of the Department of Buildings, a position he was appointed to in May by Mayor Eric Adams." " Has Anyone Told the Brooklyn Democratic Party There's an Election Next Week? " by New York Focus' Sam Mellins: "The mayor's call for donations to the county party — beyond the $500 to $10,000 guests had already paid for their tickets — came at a critical moment for New York Democrats. Southern Brooklyn is the site of several close races for Congress and the state legislature, and Governor Kathy Hochul, who was in attendance herself, is relying on big turnout in New York City to survive a surprisingly tight race. But what attendees may not have known is that the money that the Brooklyn Democratic Party raised at the event won't support any Democratic candidates in next week's election. 'The money that we're raising tonight is more housekeeping,' to pay for the salaries of party staff and operating costs, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn told New York Focus at the gala." " Migrants Encounter 'Chaos and Confusion' in New York Immigration Courts ," by The New York Times' Hurubie Meko: "It was just past dawn, but people were already crowding around an Immigration and Customs Enforcement employee stationed outside a Manhattan courthouse one morning this fall. He told each person the same thing: The ICE field office had reached capacity. Five hundred people were already inside. 'Take the email and go home,' he said. … The scene at the courthouse, where migrants were trying to keep appointments for ICE check-ins, captured the chaos that lawyers and organizations that help immigrants have been warning about since thousands of new migrants began arriving in the city this year: An already strained immigration system is becoming even more swamped, a problem that is likely to get worse as immigrants face deadlines to apply for asylum next year."
| | | | NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don't miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID . | | | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | " Gov. Kathy Hochul summons powers of incumbency to stave off Lee Zeldin's challenge ," by Buffalo News' Robert J. McCarthy: "As Hochul's faceoff against Republican Lee Zeldin enters its final days, she is charging harder than at any other time in her long political career. She traverses the state on an almost daily basis, concentrating on New York City and its trove of Democratic voters while tending to her own upstate base as well. The first upstater in more than a century (as well as the first woman) to vie for the governor's office, Hochul finds herself in an unusual defensive position. … For the first time since Gov. George E. Pataki's victory in 2002, Republicans in New York sense the possibility of an upset in uber-Democratic New York. But none of it fazes Hochul, the diminutive figure working her way a few days ago through the state's fourth largest city. She seems to have revived her well-chronicled gift for retail politicking, visiting small businesses and plunging into crowds while state troopers hover nearby." " Kathy Hochul stalls release of 'tax-and-spend' budget report before election ," by New York Post's Carl Campanile and Zach Williams: "Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, locked in a fierce election battle with Republican Lee Zeldin, has blown off an Oct. 30 deadline to release a key mid-year report on the state's record-breaking $220 billion budget after bragging about meeting the mark last year. Government watchdogs accused Hochul of attempting to sit on the 'tax-and-spend' budget's report until after the final day of voting on Tuesday, Nov. 8." After cases against Trump and Cuomo, Tish James runs low-key reelection campaign , by POLITICO's Anna Gronewold: One of New York's most high-profile politicians is running one of its lowest-profile statewide reelection campaigns. To top it off, Attorney General Tish James, who in her first term nabbed national headlines for taking on former president Donald Trump and former governor Andrew Cuomo, has turned down a debate with her Republican opponent, the only statewide elected official in New York to do so. James, who has been in office since 2019, may not need the exposure. But declining the debate gives her Republican critics an easy opening as they bash elected Democrats for concerns about rising crime that appear to be resonating with the state's voters with just days before Election Day on Tuesday. " 'We don't read print': Blind voters say new accessible ballot measures fall short, " by Gothamist's Olivia Ebertz: "The ballots come after advocacy groups sued the state Board of Elections in 2020. The suit settled this past April, and required the state to create the ballot, which allows blind voters to mark their choices electronically using screen reader technology. For those with limited vision, the technology allows them to increase the font size or alter the color contrast. Despite the new statewide ballot — intended to increase participation among the blind — advocates say the ballots have some issues that prevent complete voter privacy and ease, raising concerns ahead of Election Day on Nov. 8." #UpstateAmerica: Run, don't walk, with your spare $7.5 million to land Roaring Brook Ranch Resort , a 135-room Adirondack resort and conference center for sale just two miles from Lake George's Million Dollar Beach.
| | | | A message from For the Many Environmental Action Inc:   | | | | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | " Former President Trump announces he is suing New York AG Letitia James ," by ABC7 News: "Former President Donald Trump announced that he is suing New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump announced the lawsuit on the Truth Social platform on Wednesday night. He said he filed the lawsuit in Florida against James and that, 'New York State is one of the most crime-ridden places on earth.' Trump said that James does nothing to protect New York against the crimes and the criminals. The lawsuit says that she has abused her position as AG 'to pursue a relentless, pernicious, public, and unapologetic crusade against President Trump, a resident of Palm Beach County, Florida, with the stated goal of destroying him personally, financially, and politically.'" — Here's the filing. " Trump Settles With Protesters Who Said His Bodyguards Attacked Them ," by The New York Times' Jonah E. Bromwich: "Donald J. Trump on Wednesday reached a settlement in a civil case brought by protesters who said they were attacked by his bodyguards in 2015, a deal that will spare the former president and his family business the prospect of two simultaneous trials in New York State court. In a joint statement, Mr. Trump and the protesters — Efrain Galicia, Florencia Tejeda Perez, Miguel Villalobos and the estate of Johnny Hosvaldo Garcia — announced that they had reached a deal and that the case had been dismissed."
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | " Out of an office, Mondaire Jones seeks to wield influence in midterm elections ," by USA Today Network's Eduardo Cuevas: "Even as he's set to leave Congress, Mondaire Jones has sought to wield influence in the upcoming midterm elections — including the Hudson Valley district he's leaving behind. The freshman Democrat, representing parts of Westchester and all of Rockland counties, formed a political action committee early in his tenure to further his policy goals and to elect other like-minded politicians across the country. But after a convoluted redistricting process left him with an unsuccessful primary run in New York City, he's attempting to sway voters in key races that decide control of the House of Representatives…On Saturday, Jones led voter outreach events in northern Westchester. 'When I'm out campaigning for Democrats in New York's 17th Congressional District, that benefits Democrats up and down the ballot,' Jones said. Will he endorse Maloney specifically? He didn't comment."
| | | | DON'T MISS POLITICO'S 2nd ANNUAL DEFENSE SUMMIT ON 11/16: The United States is facing a defining moment in the future of its defense, national security and democratic ideals. The current conflicts and developments around the world are pushing Washington to reshape its defense strategy and how it cooperates with allies. Join POLITICO for our second annual defense summit, "At a Crossroads: America's Defense Strategy" on November 16 in person at the Schuyler DC or join online to hear keynote interviews and panels discussing the road ahead for America's national security. REGISTER HERE . | | | | | | | AROUND NEW YORK | | — The state is suing Brooklyn developer Xi Hui "Steven" Wu for allegedly selling non-existent condominiums to at least 20 immigrant Chinese families. — NYU and adjunct professors have reached a tentative deal on a union contract. — Drones will transform New York City's night sky into a Candy Crush display tonight, and state Sen. Brad Hoylman is among those who are not thrilled. — More than 50,000 people are expected to run in the TCS New York City marathon this weekend. — An Albany man left paralyzed after being shot by police in 2018 can continue his excessive force lawsuit , a judge has ruled. — An outside elections spending group backing Republican David Catalfamo has ties to his wife, Jessica Catalfamo. — An Erie County judge ruled a Buffalo man charged with making terroristic threats against two restaurants the day after the May 14 mass killing at Tops Markets was just trying to get free food.
| | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Anna Wintour … Christie Stephenson … Liz Rolnik Miller … CAA's Rachel Adler … Matthew Kirincic … Kam Mumtaz … Rowan Morris … Caroline Michelman MAKING MOVES — Jason Ginenthal is now associate director of media relations at Boehringer Ingelheim. He most recently was a freelance PR consultant. WEEKEND WEDDING — Emily Schlichting, engagement manager at McKinsey and a Patty Murray and Obama HHS alum, on Saturday married David Demres, principal at Peterson Partners. The couple met at the Harvard Kennedy School while they pursued degrees in public policy in 2017. Pics by Adam Linke of The Decisive Moment ... Another pic
| | | | A message from For the Many Environmental Action Inc: For the Many Environmental Action fights for environmental justice for communities throughout New York State. We urge you to vote YES on Proposition 1 (the Environmental Bond Act).
The Environmental Bond Act is a historic $4.2 billion investment in ensuring all New Yorkers have clean water, safe infrastructure, and are protected from the impacts of climate change. The Bond Act will help advance environmental justice and address inequities by directing 35 to 40 percent of total funding to marginalized communities.
Vote YES on environmental justice - Vote YES on Proposition 1. | | | | | Real Estate | | " Hochul, Zeldin and Housing: A Breakdown ," by City Limits' David Brand: "The race has been defined by inflation; an uptick in violent crime and incessant bail law demagoguery; real threats to women's reproductive rights and abortion access; and the far-right attempt to disrupt American democracy embraced by Republican candidate Lee Zeldin, a Long Island congressman who voted not to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. But the two candidates also differ when it comes to housing. "To start, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has a housing plan. Zeldin does not. On the campaign trail, Hochul has highlighted her housing policy proposals and her record over the past 15 months as she seeks a full term. She announced a five-year, $25 billion plan to create and preserve 100,000 units of affordable and supportive housing in her State of the State speech earlier this year. More than 22,000 units of housing have been built or preserved across New York State since September 2021, her office said." | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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