WINNERS LOSERS

Who was up and who was down last week

Get out and vote! No wait – not you. It’s a little known (untrue) fact that the New York City Board of Elections also oversees City & State’s weekly vote for the biggest political Winners & Losers. And seems that Republican Commissioner Fred Umane has raised a concern – there are simply too many people in Democratic-dominated New York City who vote in the poll. So please – North Country bumpkins, Southern Tierians, Long Island Baymen – hear our call and vote as well.

LEE ZELDIN

Recent polling must be music to Rep. Lee Zeldin’s ears. Public polling that predicted his landslide defeat just a month or two ago has now narrowed to as little as 4 percentage points. Another new survey found the gap only slightly wider at 6 percentage points. Gov. Kathy Hochul might be getting a little nervous now that her big lead seems to be dwindling.

WINNERS

OUR PICK

LOSERS

OUR PICK

LOUIS MOLINA

It looks like New York City Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina likes to keep things interesting – and controversial. A week after requesting an expansion of solitary confinement for detainees at Rikers Island amid a City Council hearing to ban the practice altogether, Molina made headlines again for skipping a Board of Correction meeting. Not a good look for Molina.

THE BEST OF THE REST JESSICA TISCH

From The Bowery to Bushwick, New Yorkers are being barraged by black bags. Luckily, New York City Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch is pursuing a new battle for clean streets, hoping to succeed where past administrations have failed against New York’s longest and hardest-to-evict residents: rats.

JENIFER RAJKUMAR

New York City school children could have the chance to unlock some new lights within themselves – or so Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar hopes now that her legislation to make Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, an official school holiday has received approval from New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

THE REST OF THE WORST CHRIS BAUGH

It’s usually safe to bad mouth your well-known boss in private as you attempt to woo a new potential beau. Unfortunately for Chris Baugh, that person just happened to work for the right-wing organization Project Veritas and released your privileged conversations to the public.

CHRIS SMALLS

Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls’ smashing success in unionizing Staten Island’s JFK8 warehouse has been followed by successive losses on Staten Island and another last week outside Albany.

WINNERS & LOSERS is published every Friday morning in City & State’s First Read email. Sign up for the email, cast your vote and see who won at cityandstateny.com. CITY & STATE NEW YORK

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Vol. 11 Issue 41 October 24, 2022

TOP POLITICAL CONSULTANTS

GENERAL ELECTION PREVIEW WHY DEMOCRATS CAN’T TAKE NY FOR GRANTED

Red wave or blue wall? Which races to watch in a chaotic midterm

CITYANDSTATENY.COM @CITYANDSTATENY October 24, 2022

Cover illustration: Nadia Radic

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