Politics
Albany’s influence wars
DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 14
STONES AND GLASS STATEHOUSES: Gov. Kathy Hochul has raked in almost $200,000 in campaign contributions from insurance companies as she pushes for a proposal she argues would help save both their policyholders — as well as those same companies — lots of money.
But while reaping that campaign cash, Hochul has also attacked members of the Legislature for taking their own political contributions — and she is now arguing their political positions are tainted by those dollars in a way hers are not.
“I’m proud of what we’re doing,” Hochul told reporters today at an unrelated event in the Capital Region. “Money has no influence in what we’re doing.”
One of the sticking points holding up the now two-weeks-late-and-counting state budget is Hochul’s push to limit who can sue for damages when they’re in an auto accident. Right now, even if the accident is your fault, you can still reap a reward. Limiting who can receive damages would save insurers money, and, in theory, cut monthly insurance rates for New York’s millions of drivers, Hochul argues.
But members of the Legislature — who often receive political donations from the state’s trial lawyers, which represent plaintiffs in personal injury suits — say they’re skeptical the push would equate to any real savings for New Yorkers, and they worry it would prevent injured people from receiving the money they deserve in court.
On Monday, Deputy Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris made waves in the Capitol when he blamed Hochul for acting like an obstructionist in state budget negotiations.
“It takes three parties to agree, and the person who proposed the budget seems less than willing to appreciate that,” Gianaris said on the Senate floor. He later told reporters Hochul’s negotiating strategy is “a one-way street” when it comes to auto insurance reforms.
A few hours later, Hochul’s spokesperson Kara Cumoletti fired back: “If Sen. Gianaris is interested in making progress, he should urge his colleagues to support the governor’s efforts to lower auto insurance rates, rather than defending a broken system that benefits trial lawyers — one of the top donors to the Senate Campaign Committee he controls.”
Ouch.
Despite her spokesperson insinuating that those looking for Gianaris’ motivations need only follow the money, Hochul insisted her political contributions have nothing to do with her stances, which are driven by a tireless fight for affordability.
“I was responding to criticism that is trying to infer that we are the roadblocks; that we’re not trying to cooperate,” Hochul said today, explaining Cumoletti’s statement.
Since 2021, Hochul has received $194,250 from auto insurance companies and insurance industry associations, per public records. The state Democratic Party, which Hochul controls, also raked in $70,250 from those same groups between 2024 and 2025.
“If interests are aligned, then those interests are also aligned with the interests of every single New Yorker who wants to see their rates go down,” Hochul said when asked about those donations. “I don’t think the trial lawyers’ interests are aligned with New Yorkers.”
The New York State Trial Lawyers Association President Andrew Finkelstein responded in a statement accusing Hochul of getting “into bed with the insurance industry.”
“NYSTLA will fight both in the courthouse and out to keep the doors of justice open to everyone, not just the wealthy few,” Finkelstein said. “Albany is right to pull back the covers and expose who this plan really serves.” — Jason Beeferman
From the Capitol
NO CONCERNS OVER RETIREMENTS: Hochul brushed off any concerns caused by a rash of legislators who have announced their retirements after filing paperwork to get on the ballot, effectively letting them choose their own successors in some cases.
“The process is what it is,” Hochul said. “The vast, vast majority of the time, the system is such that candidates plan to run, they plan to stay, they petition to get on the ballot, and, again, if something unforeseen happens, there is a mechanism that’s in place, the committee on vacancies, that allows that person to be filled. I’m not concluding there’s something sinister about a process that has been in place for a long time.”
Republican state Sen. Jack Martins bowed out of a battleground Nassau County district over the weekend. He previously denied rumors he might retire — but announced his plans to do so after submitting petitions that let area party leaders select Assemblymember Jake Blumencranz to run in his stead.
In the Cortland area, Assemblymember Jeff Gallahan pointed to health concerns when announcing his retirement. He’s giving his spot on the Republican line to Mark Benjamin, the community relations director for a landfill.
And Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced her retirement last week. Her spot on the ballot will go to Buffalo Common Council Member Leah Halton-Pope, and the party will avoid the primary that likely would’ve occurred had Peoples-Stokes announced her plans earlier.
“I think Crystal Peoples-Stokes was planning to stay longer,” Hochul said. “I don’t know if this is some sort of conspiracy to do something untoward. She’s following the laws, and this is how it is. It’s actually pretty rare. It doesn’t happen with great regularity.” — Bill Mahoney
HOCHUL DEFENDS POPE: Hochul said President Donald Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV are “abhorrent” in emotional comments to reporters today.
“The pope is a man of peace,” said Hochul, a Catholic. “He has a right to speak out and wise leaders would be right to listen to him.”
On Sunday, Trump, following a veiled critique from Leo that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” wrote on Truth Social that “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Later that day, the president posted a picture that depicted himself as Jesus, an image he deleted the following morning.
Hochul told reporters that “Jesus would be rather shocked at what’s happening these days.”
“The Pope deserves more respect and for someone to release an image that equates the president of the United States with Jesus — or anyone with Jesus — is just reprehensible to, hopefully, everybody,” she said. — Jason Beeferman
FROM CITY HALL
BREAD AND ROSES: The mayor unveiled new details about five city-run grocery stores he plans open by the end of his term — a key campaign promise that has kindled strong feelings from opponents.
The stores will sit on city-owned land, absolving them of paying market-rate rent and property taxes. In exchange, the yet-to-be selected private operators will be contractually required to offer several staples like bread and eggs at a fixed price below the New York City average.
How far below, though, the administration still has not determined.
“What I can tell you is that when New Yorkers come to city-run grocery stores, they will see a clear price differential when it comes to those essentials,” Mamdani said at La Marqueta, the site of a $30 million grocery store set to open in 2029.
Unlike the East Harlem location, other city-run stores will not be built from the ground up, meaning they will open earlier. The first is set to welcome shoppers next year, for example.
While the mayor is planning just five stores, the concept of government grocers has sparked heated backlash from the mayor’s more moderate detractors. John Catsimatidis, owner of the supermarket chain Gristedes, threatened to close all of his stores if Mamdani won, a pledge he walked back after the democratic socialist’s November victory. — Joe Anuta
BUSINESS AS USUAL: New York City Council Member Farah Louis returned to work Tuesday after federal investigators raided her home and her sister’s amid a federal probe on bribery and fraud allegations.
Louis, who has not been charged, appeared at a scheduled Zoning and Franchises subcommittee meeting, which she chairs.
As part of the investigation that led to the indictment, prosecutors have questioned whether Louis and her sister, Debbie Esther Louis, accepted kickbacks in exchange for steering city funds to shelter provider BRAHGS Home Care, according to a search warrant.
Louis directed more than $450,000 in city funds over five years to the nonprofit, according to city documents reviewed by Gothamist.
Louis left the building shortly after the hearing concluded and did not take questions. — Gelila Negesse
FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
D’ESPOSIT-NO: Former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito will not be making a comeback bid for Congress against Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen in a battleground Long Island district.
D’Esposito, who is currently inspector general in the U.S. Labor Department, signaled his interest in returning to Congress earlier this year — though it was unclear if he would quit his job in the Trump administration to do so.
Last month at a House subcommittee hearing, he skirted questions about his congressional aspirations, and the politically powerful Nassau County Republican Committee backed John DeGrace, a former Valley Stream mayor, as its nominee. DeGrace declined the nomination last week, leaving the possibility of a D’Esposito return on the table.
But D’Esposito ruled it out in a statement Tuesday, the final day for local Republicans to choose a replacement candidate. He expressed his personal support for Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Jeanine Driscoll, whom he called a “dear friend.”
“I will continue serving as the 9th Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor, working with our team nationwide to root out fraud and put those who steal from Americans behind bars,” D’Esposito said in the statement. “It is an honor to serve in President Trump’s administration and on the Anti-Fraud Task Force led by Vice President JD Vance.”
Read more from Madison Fernandez in Blue Light News Pro.
TRUMP BOOSTS BLAKEMAN: The president emphasized his support for Republican Nassau County Executive and gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman shortly after an appearance on Fox Business that was ridiculed by Hochul’s campaign.
“Bruce Blakeman, the highly respected and very popular Nassau County Executive, who is running for Governor, is surging in the New York State Polls,” Trump wrote, after Blakeman appeared on Fox Business. “He is one of the best politicians in the U.S. Watch him work his magic!!!”
About 30 minutes before Trump’s post, Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo and her partner pressed Blakeman on the following:
“I’m not seeing a lot of you, where have you been Bruce?”
“I don’t see enough of you. I need to start seeing you more on social media.”
“How are you going to get New Yorkers out to actually vote for you, Bruce?”
Hochul’s campaign mocked the appearance for Blakeman as “humiliating.”
For his part, Blakeman responded to Bartiromo by saying New Yorkers are sick of the high cost of living in New York.
New Yorkers “want a new governor, a governor that puts them first, cares about them, will cut their utility bills in half, will lower taxes, create job prosperity and create safer neighborhoods,” Blakeman said. “I have the experience, the ability and policies that people want.” — Jason Beeferman
IN OTHER NEWS
— MATCH DAY: Train tickets to MetLife Stadium from New York City are projected to cost more than $100 during World Cup games — despite regular prices of $12.90. (The New York Times)
— INDEPENDENT: Scotia Mayor David Bucciferro rejected Republican backing for his incumbent bid with Scotia-Glenville GOP Chairman David Lindsay announcing plans to run a candidate against Bucciferro. (Times Union)
— RISK TOLERANCE: Wall Street firms continue hiring and expanding in New York City at record levels, even as Mamdani advances a tax-the-rich agenda that some predicted would drive companies out of the city. (THE CITY)
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
President Donald Trump is asking voters to “pretend” he is on the ballot. That might backfire.
New results from The POLITICO Poll show that Democratic midterm voters are more motivated to oppose the president than Republican voters are to support him. Many Republican voters also aren’t looking for blind loyalty to Trump in the midterms: Half say they’d rather their local candidate aim to win, even if it means speaking out against the president.
It’s not uncommon for voters in the party out of power to be more motivated in a midterm year. But the lopsided findings are an ominous sign for Trump, who has fundamentally reshaped the GOP over the past decade and has once again staked his brand — and political capital — on delivering wins for Republicans in November.
With less than two weeks before the election, the poll suggests Republicans are pragmatic, and care more about preventing a blue wave than standing by Trump. And in a year when voter frustration over high pricesappears poised to play a major role, that distinction could prove consequential.
The poll, conducted by London-based firm PF Global, reveals the extent to which frustration with Trump is driving Democrats: Nearly half of Democratic midterm voters say they will be voting “mainly to oppose President Trump,” compared to just 38% of Republican voters who say they will be voting mainly to show support for Trump.
Instead, a plurality of Republican midterm voters — 48% — say their main motivation when casting a vote is to show support for a local candidate. Only 37% of Democratic voters agree.
“[Trump is] 100% motivating Democrats more than Republicans,” said Doug Heye, a longtime GOP strategist. “That may have been the case regardless, but it’s even more true with words like ‘diesel’ and ‘Iran’ now a part of everyday political discussion.”
Half of Republicans think candidates have a better chance of winning if they align themselves with Trump rather than breaking from him, compared to just 30% who believe candidates would have a better chance of winning if they break away.
But half of Republicans also accept their candidates speaking out against the president if that’s what they need to do to win their own election. That’s compared with 37% who say candidates should remain loyal to the president and support his agenda, even if it means risking a loss.
On top of that, majorities of Republican voters say Trump himself should give candidates some room to break with him on specific policy issues to win elections.
If it helps GOP candidates’ chances of winning, they said, the president should allow for disagreement on the speed of AI development, the cost of living, and whether the war in Iran was a good decision. That holds true for pluralities or even majorities of Trump 2024 voters who self-identify as part of the “MAGA” movement across each policy area, suggesting that even his most loyal voters want the president to let candidates distance themselves if it can help them win.
“President Trump is the unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party, and he is committed to maintaining Republican majorities in Congress,” said White House spokesperson Davis Ingle.
RNC spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre said “Blue Light News didn’t need to conduct a poll to know that Democrats are motivated by their hatred for President Trump and Republicans.” She added that the GOP is “running on actual accomplishments like cutting taxes and securing the border,” while saying Democrats have made “investigations, obstruction, and impeachment” their campaign platform.
Still, the tension is playing out in real time as Republican candidates locked in competitive races walk a tightrope between maintaining Trump’s support — and that of his MAGA base — without alienating critical moderate and independent voters. They’re especially under pressure as Trump hits the campaign trail in battlegrounds and red states, with several candidates having to quietly make calculations whether it will hurt them politically to appear next to him.
“I think Republicans … are stuck choosing which finger to cut off,” said a national GOP operative, granted anonymity to speak candidly about the midterm landscape. “There is no good answer.”
In Iowa, where voter frustration over some of Trump’s marquee policies, including tariffs and rising costs stemming from the Iran war, has mounted, Republican candidates have sought to create some distance from the president. Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, the party’s Senate nominee, has said the war needs to be “brought to a successful and immediate end.” She also skipped a rally Vice President JD Vance held in the state last month.
Several other GOP candidates have also skipped Trump rallies in their home states, and many have grown increasingly wary of mentioning Trump in ads, including in red states that over the last few months have suddenly started to look competitive. In battleground Georgia, GOP gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson has carefully navigated his relationship with Trump, avoiding public breaks with the president on policy but still limiting direct references to him in campaign ads and on the debate stage.
“I don’t know that Trump coming [to Georgia] helps Republicans more so than it excites Democrats, especially in a wave election year,” said Jason Shepherd, a former Cobb County GOP chair who is supporting Jackson.
That leaves Republican candidates in a tricky position: Their voters are willing to accept breaking from Trump if victory is on the line, but voters — and candidates — won’t know what will cost them their race until it’s too late.
“There’s no reason to gratuitously attack the White House and make an enemy,” the national GOP operative said. “But the end game here is to get reelected, and if they have to get reelected, but the president’s annoyed at them for a period of time, they’ll get over it.”
While Republican candidates balance loyalty to Trump with the possibility of breaking away on certain issues, Democratic midterm voters remain highly motivated to vote against Trump’s agenda.
Even Trump’s endorsement of a Republican candidate seems to influence Democrats more than Republicans: Roughly 70% of Democratic midterm voters say his endorsement would make them less likely to support a candidate, compared to 55% of Republican midterm voters who say the endorsement would make them more likely to support a candidate.
“The midterm elections are about anger management and failed expectations,” said North Carolina based GOP strategist Paul Shumaker. “A lot of Republicans and swing voters feel like their expectations have not been met in helping address their economic concerns.”
Alec Hernández and Alisa Vasquez contributed to this story.
Can Angie Nixon prove Democrats can win in Florida?
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Democrats’ top Senate-focused super PAC will report raising $354 million through Oct. 14 — including roughly $88 million in the first two weeks of the month— as Democrats race to seize control of the upper chamber in the election’s closing weeks.
Senate Majority PAC shared their fundraising totals, which are higher than any previous cycle, with Blue Light News ahead of a Federal Election Commission deadline later Thursday. The super PAC had $32.7 million in the bank as of Oct. 14.
“This is already the strongest cycle in Senate Majority PAC’s history, and it’s arriving exactly when it counts,” SMP spokesperson Lauren French said in a statement. “We’re on the air across the battleground through Election Day, and every dollar is going toward beating price-gouging Republicans and winning back the Senate.”
That’s more than the $306 million SMP raised in the 2024 campaign cycle, according to FEC filings, its previous high.
SMP is still being outraised by the Senate Leadership Fund, the GOP’s top Senate super PAC, in large part thanks to billionaire Elon Musk and other Republican megadonors. Musk gave $158 million to SLF in the third quarter, according to its most recent FEC report, and the super PAC in turn sent that money to Texas’ Senate race in order to boost the scandal-plagued GOP nominee Ken Paxton.
As of Sept. 30, SLF had raised more than $423 million for the cycle.
Democrats have been able to offset much of Republicans’ super PAC cash advantage on the airwaves because of stronger candidate fundraising.
But Republicans still have the advantage of a favorable map — and more outside money — as they hope to maintain control of at least one chamber of Congress next month.
- John Barrasso to campaign with Ken Paxton
- Capitol agenda: Bennie Thompson warns about Dems’ late bet
- Poll: Trump wants the midterms to be about him. That could backfire.
- Can Angie Nixon prove Democrats can win in Florida?
- Elon Musk pours another $76 million into boosting Republicans
- Senate Democrats’ campaign arm takes out $15M loan
- Democrats’ top Senate super PAC has raised $354M this year
- Biotech investment is the new front in the U.S.-China trade fight
- A final farewell to NYC’s horse carriage industry
- Kevin McCarthy predicts GOP will lose House majority
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