| | | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin and Anna Gronewold with Jonathan Custodio | Presented by the Coca-Cola Company | Amid the presidential brouhaha of the past year, competitive legislative and congressional races have all but fallen to the wayside for many voters. Several New York congressional seats are up for grabs this year, and a handful are on the cusp of redefining the colors of districts that have held steady for several years. Nowhere is this more evident than in central New York, where Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi is clinging to the seat he took from Claudia Tenney in 2018, and Republican Rep. John Katko's race against Democrat Dana Balter is narrowing to perhaps his closest margins since he first took office in 2014. The two districts have historically offered a strong chance for GOP congressional candidates, but polling is now showing the effects of voters from both parties who are turned off by the kind of politics practiced by President Donald Trump. It's not so much a new breed of Democratic voter that's changing the map as it is traditional, independent voters leaning slightly to the left in recent elections. "In reality what you're seeing is that, unlike your grandmother's upstate, the GOP no longer have big registration advantages anywhere," Bruce Gyory, an Albany-based Democratic political strategist told Anna. "It is the independent or unaffiliated voter that is determining what we're seeing in these upstate contests." The Cook Political Report ranks both races as toss-ups, with Brinidi's 22nd leaning Democratic and Katko's 24th leaning Republican. Particularly with the latter, anyone who tells you they know how it will turn out is "full of malarkey," Gyory said. That's an evergreen truth, and how we're approaching almost every race on Election Day, this week, and the rest of the month. IT'S MONDAY. If you haven't yet, do you have a voting plan? Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: EDurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com, or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold ABOVE THE FOLD: "GOV. ANDREW CUOMO on Saturday outlined a new travel rule for those coming into New York amid rising coronavirus cases across the country. Gone is a travel quarantine advisory for individual states that required travelers entering New York to isolate themselves for 14 days. The new rule: Travelers must test negative for COVID-19 three days before coming into the state and then once again test negative after three days of entering New York. 'If you are coming into New York within three days you must have tested negative,' Cuomo said on a conference call with reporters. 'Once you arrive in New York, you must quarantine for three days and can take a test on the fourth day.' Cuomo outlined the new rule as cases have increased nationally and in parts of New York. The state's overall positive rate in the last day stood at 1.49%, a figure that also includes so-called cluster zones of COVID-19 cases in the Hudson Valley, New York City and Southern Tier." Spectrum's Nick Reisman WHERE'S ANDREW? In Albany with no public events scheduled. WHERE'S BILL? Holding a media availability and appearing on NY1's Inside City Hall. | | | | A message from the Coca-Cola Company: The Coca-Cola Company believes all Americans should be given the opportunity to have their voices heard on Election Day. That's why we've given Election Day off to our full-time, U.S. employees to vote, volunteer or support elections in their local communities. Learn how we're using the power of our brands and our people to encourage everyone to vote. | | |
|  | WHAT CITY HALL'S READING | | "AT ONE New York City hospital, coronavirus patients began arriving a few weeks ago from Brooklyn neighborhoods and nearby suburbs that have seen a resurgence of the virus. But in contrast to March and April — when so many seriously ill New Yorkers flooded into the hospital, Mount Sinai, that a field hospital was erected nearby in Central Park — patients were showing up in smaller numbers and were often less sick . After treatment, they were going home. 'There is a much lower recent mortality rate,' said Dr. David Reich, the president of the hospital, despite the fact that the number of people being treated for Covid-19 had grown from the single digits in August to 56 on a given day last week...In New York City, hospitalizations have been slowly but steadily rising, eliciting painful memories of the surge of infections in the spring that killed more than 20,000 people. But the terrifying inundation of patients that overwhelmed hospitals then has yet to materialize again in New York City, even as cases rise." New York Times' J. David Goodman and Joseph Goldstein — There are 67 ZIP codes among the city's 177 that have an average test positivity rate over 2 percent, according to data posted on the Department of Health's website. Sixteen of those ZIP codes are above 3 percent. "TWO HALLOWEEN parties with hundreds of guests dancing and drinking inside warehouses were broken up by New York City authorities this weekend, as officials strive to curb behavior that they worry could fuel a second wave of the pandemic. A party in Brooklyn with nearly 400 people was broken up by city sheriffs early Saturday morning. About 24 hours later, the sheriff's office shut down another party with more than 550 people in the Bronx. Twenty-eight people — including party organizers, D.J.s and security guards — and two businesses face a variety of charges in connection with the parties, including a failure to protect health and safety in violation of the city's health code." New York Times' Mihir Zaveri "CITY COUNCILMAN Rory Lancman is resigning from his current gig to take a job in the Cuomo administration. Cuomo announced Friday he is appointing Lancman special counsel for ratepayer protection, a newly created role that will see the longtime lawmaker face off against utility companies. 'Rory Lancman has a long record of public service and his background makes him ideally suited to help protect the interests of New Yorkers and hold utilities accountable when necessary,' Cuomo said. Lancman, a Democrat representing eastern parts of Queens including Kew Gardens and Fresh Meadows, was reportedly eying an exit from the Council as he is term-limited next year...Lancman's resignation will likely lead to a special election to fill the remainder of his term early next year ahead of the June primary." New York Daily News' Denis Slattery "ELECTRIC-SCOOTER companies from around the world are expected to compete for the chance to operate in New York City, one of the most sought-after micro-mobility markets. The city on Friday invited companies to apply for spots in an e-scooter pilot program expected to launch in March. The 15-page request provided few details about how many companies would be chosen, where they would be allowed to operate or how many scooters would be deployed. But competition is expected to be fierce in a market that has grown rapidly in just a few years." Wall Street Journal's Paul Berger "THEY VOTED in high schools and middle schools, in churches and museums, in Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center and even in a casino in Queens. In many instances, voters waited in line for hours. Over nine days of early voting that ended Sunday, more than 1.1 million New York City residents braved cold rain , long lines and potential Covid-19 exposure to cast their ballots in person in this year's presidential election. It was the city's first foray into early voting in a presidential election, and the intensity of interest signified an ardor for change in a largely Democratic city racked by the worst economic and health crisis in at least a generation." New York Times' Dana Rubinstein #DownstateAmerica: Like many restless Staten Islanders, an enterprising deer has moved to New Jersey. | | | | NEW EPISODES OF POLITICO'S GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS PODCAST: The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded in 2020. Are world leaders and political actors up to the task of solving them? Is the private sector? Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, unpacks the roadblocks to smart policy decisions and examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. Subscribe for Season Two, available now. | | | | |
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "NEW YORK will allow schools within COVID-19 cluster zones to resume in-person learning if they test all students and faculty before they return, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday. Schools in a handful of state-identified 'red' and 'orange' zones have been shut down in recent weeks as New York tries to tamp down increasing coronavirus infection rates by targeting specific neighborhoods and regions. But on Friday, Cuomo unveiled an agreement with public and private schools to allow them to reopen before the state's broader cluster restrictions are rescinded. Under the plan, every student and staff member must test negative for COVID-19 prior to returning to a school building. From there, schools will be required to set 25% of students and staff on a weekly basis to ensure the spread of the virus is under control... As of Friday, there were red or orange zones declared in portions of Rockland, Orange, Steuben and Chemung counties, as well as the New York City borough of Brooklyn." USA Today Network's Jon Campbell — The move clears nearly two dozen New York City public schools to reopen, but the city did not immediately say what its plans were for the schools. "CUOMO is pushing off tough financial decisions until after the 2020 election — and has not released blueprints for a plan B in the event federal funding doesn't come through to help New York recover from the pandemic-fueled fiscal crisis. The state Division of the Budget issued a mid-year budget report Friday that avoids addressing massive budget gaps as the governor waits to see if his pal, former Vice President Joe Biden, is elected president and Democrats take over the U.S. Senate. The report notes that no agreement has been reached in Congress on providing a recovery package to aid cash-strapped state and local governments," the report said. 'The Enacted Budget Financial Plan noted that the ultimate size of any permanent reductions would depend in part on the availability of unrestricted federal aid,' it said. 'While the U.S. Congress has begun discussions on additional recovery legislation, no agreement has been reached as of the date of this update,' the report said. 'Therefore,' it adds, 'DOB now expects to transmit a detailed aid-to-localities reduction plan to the Legislature later in the State's FY [fiscal year] 2021.'" New York Post's Carl Campanile and Bernadette Hogan WITH 1,000-PLUS new Covid-19 cases reported daily across New York, nursing home operators, long-term care advocates and state lawmakers are looking to avoid a repeat of the spring when the virus' spread through such facilities was compared to "fire through dry grass." The Cuomo administration, which has been criticized for its handling of Covid-19 in nursing homes, has taken steps in recent months to prevent the thousands of deaths and infections that occurred in congregate care settings, like mandating stockpiles of personal protective equipment, instituting regular staff testing and curtailing visitation. But advocates have cautioned it is not enough to address the longstanding infection control, staffing and other issues that came to a head during the pandemic — particularly as the state has yet to release a full picture of the virus' toll on such facilities. And industry officials, who've lauded the focus on reducing asymptomatic spread, have raised concerns that the state-imposed requirements could hurt the long-term viability of the facilities and residents' mental health. POLITICO's Shannon Young VULTURE: John Mulaney's Favorite Quarantine TV Show Was Andrew Cuomo's Press Briefings . "The story of an Italian American father who, after being an empty nester, finds himself quarantining with his two daughters — hijinks ensue — but he learns a lot about being a father, and a little bit about being a governor." #UpstateAmerica: A theater in Hamburg is offering free movies to its neighbors as a way of thanking them for their support during the pandemic. | | | |   | | |
| | ... 2020 VISION ... | | A GUIDE TO TOMORROW'S ELECTIONS: This year's state races have received far less attention than normal. But they're still as significant as ever , and will help determine questions such as how much power Democrats in the Legislature will have relative to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, how far they'll be able to push on progressive priorities, and whether Republicans can come out of the redistricting process with any hope of mounting a comeback in the next decade. POLITICO's Bill Mahoney "REPUBLICANS are trying to stave off attempts by Democrats to flip two congressional seats in the suburban enclaves of Long Island where President Trump successfully appealed to voters four years ago. Democrats are betting they can woo voters frustrated with the Trump administration's response to the Covid-19 pandemic on hard-hit Long Island and are counting on the region's rapidly diversifying population to give them an edge. They also argue the president's flagging approval numbers will drag down the GOP's congressional candidates. 'What happens at the top of the ticket is going to drive a lot of what happens down the ballot,' said Jay Jacobs, chairman of the New York Democratic Party. Nick Langworthy, chairman of the New York Republican Party, said Long Island remains fertile ground for President Trump, despite his unpopular standing overall in New York state, and for the GOP's congressional candidates. 'I think Long Island is a place where the president enjoys immense support,' Mr. Langworthy said. 'The energy on the ground is excellent.'" Wall Street Journal's Joseph De Avila "REP. MAX ROSE and Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis both concede one thing: Their bitter, nationally watched — and financed — race for Staten Island's House seat appears destined to stretch past Election Day. With tens of thousands of absentee ballots requested by voters in New York's 11th Congressional District, the result of the contest — which pollsters rate a "toss up" and has pulled over $11 million in outside spending — may not be known until long after the final vote is cast, the campaigns say. Around 50,000 absentee ballots are in play in the Staten Island-Brooklyn district, which drew 192,000 voters when Democrat Rose beat Republican Dan Donovan in 2018. In New York, absentee ballots can be postmarked up until Election Day and must be received by the city Board of Elections by Nov. 10. So while many Democrats in New York City will coast to victory on Nov. 3, Rose's House race will likely drag well into the month as both sides monitor the count and potentially fight over every ballot." The City's Clifford Michel ELECTIONLAND: POLITICO is partnering with Electionland , a ProPublica project that works with newsrooms to track voting issues around the country. The Electionland project covers problems that prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots during the 2020 elections. Tell us here if you're having trouble voting. | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | "GOV. ANDREW M. CUOMO on Sunday criticized the White House's plan for distributing the Covid-19 vaccine, saying it would fail to adequately serve the people who have been hit hardest by the virus – those who are Black, Latino and low-income. Those communities were hardest hit by Covid infections as well as deaths, he said, yet received the fewest tests. 'That's because they're health care deserts,' Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters. 'There were health care disparities to begin with. People had underlying issues, underlying illnesses.' Sunday's call came as the virus continues to surge in many parts of the country, while Cuomo noted that New York — once the epicenter in the U.S. — now has the nation's third-lowest rate of positive tests." Buffalo News' Mary B. Pasciak "CARAVANS OF President Trump's supporters blockaded the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and the Garden State Parkway on Sunday, snarling traffic on two of the busiest highways in the New York metropolitan area just two days before Election Day. Videos taken by motorists showed the president's backers parked in the middle of the westbound lanes of the bridge, which carries Interstate 287 across the Hudson River and is named for the father of the current governor, Andrew M. Cuomo. A number of them exited their vehicles in the rain and waved Trump banners and American flags as motorists honked their horns. The episode happened around midafternoon, with the caravan lining up on the interstate's shoulder in Tarrytown before driving onto the span, which connects Rockland and Westchester counties." New York Times' Neil Vigdor, Jesse McKinley, Emma G. Fitzsimmons, Sydney Ember, Annie Karni and Stephanie Saul — The NYPD arrested ten people who were protesting against a pro-Trump caravan in Manhattan. — Some Manhattan businesses are boarding up their windows in preparation for possible unrest after the election. | | | | SPEND ELECTION NIGHT WITH POLITICO FOUR SQUARE: People have been voting for weeks, but Election Day is finally upon us! Join us for a special election night episode of POLITICO "Four Square," where host Eugene Daniels will break down the latest developments from across the country with Chief Political Correspondent Tim Alberta, Chief Washington Correspondent Ryan Lizza, and one of our top political reporters and CNN contributor Laura Barrón-López. Joined by colleagues from across the newsroom throughout the show, expect the group to share the latest exit poll readouts, analyze the closing Trump and Biden campaign strategies, and to share their favorite moments of this long and winding election. Tune in at 9:00 p.m. EST here. | | | | |
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — Of course, The New York Post did look into the washboard abs of Cuomo's daughter's alleged state trooper boyfriend. The head of the PBA, however, said in a memo to members he does not think the story holds up. — The de Blasio administration signed off on allowing Steve Cohen to buy the Mets, as did Major League Baseball. — "We Don't Protest": Borough Park's Mask-Burning Demonstrators — A piece of Amsterdam's industrial past is collapsing — literally. — At least 50 high schoolers in Central New York were exposed to the coronavirus at a party. This would not qualify as a surprise. — Good news? Some polling places in Onondaga County have had no lines for early voting. — Rockland County extended early voting hours after getting sued by the NYCLU. — As of Sunday, New York law requires all vehicle passengers to wear seat belts — even adults sitting in the back seat. — An 8-year-old girl was among three bystanders shot and injured outside a Harlem supermarket. — City classrooms are keeping their windows open for ventilation despite cold weather. — An MTA train operator is facing a suspension for allegedly violating a New York City Transit safety rule that bans the use of phones while driving — to snap photos of subway homelessness that he posts to Twitter. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Larry Fink is 68 … David Sirota is 45 … Makan Delrahim is 51 … Bloomberg's Jen Dlouhy … Jay Solomon, senior director at APCO Worldwide global solutions … Ali Reader … Hastings Woolston … Daniela Pierre Bravo … Barbara Surk ... … (was Sunday): Apple CEO Tim Cook turned 6-0 … David Bossie, president of Citizens United and a Fox News contributor, turned 55 … Glover Park Group's Alex Byers … John Oxtoby of Ariel Investments … CNN's Marshall Cohen … Larry Flynt turned 78 … John Seeley … Francesco Guerrera, head of international for Dow Jones Media Group and publisher of Financial News … Liz Dougherty, general counsel and corporate secretary at Business Roundtable … WaPo book critic Carlos Lozada … Edelman's Pearson Cummings … Megan Wilson of Bloomberg Government … Anthony DeAngelo … Annie Peck Watman ... … (was Saturday): Jane Pauley turned 7-0 … Dan Rather turned 89 … Frank Bruni turned 56 … Kenny Thompson Jr., senior director of government and external affairs at PepsiCo, is 4-0 … POLITICO's Betsy Woodruff Swan, Michael Kruse and Jack Shafer … ProPublica's Marilyn Thompson … Susan Orlean … Cathy Cavender … Piper Perabo … Lindsay Gellman … George Bogden … Spencer Herbst ... Yael Buechler … Richard G. Leibovitch … Howard E. Friedman … Paula White, executive director for Educators for Excellence-New York | | | | A message from the Coca-Cola Company: Election day 2020 is unlike any other. At The Coca-Cola Company, we think it's important for all voices to be heard on Election Day. That's why we are joining with non-partisan organizations, election officials, civic leaders, and other companies to help ensure free and fair elections across the country. We've made Election Day a paid holiday for all full-time, U.S. based Coca-Cola Company employees to provide extra time to vote, volunteer and support elections in their communities. Learn how we're using the power of our brands and our people to encourage everyone to vote. | | |
| | REAL ESTATE | | DECADES AGO, SoHo was a wasteland. Nineteenth century buildings that once housed factories were abandoned. Swaths of the neighborhood were slated for demolition under Robert Moses-led plans to build a highway through Lower Manhattan. Instead, a budding colony of artists took hold, prizing the cheap, open spaces the area afforded, and through the 1970s and '80s converted the neighborhood south of Houston Street to one of the toniest sections of Manhattan. SoHo and neighboring NoHo are better known today for their plethora of retail stores, luxury loft apartments and cast-iron buildings that make popular Instagram backgrounds. What the area hasn't been known for is affordable housing, but a new plan from Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration seeks to create hundreds of new apartments for low- and middle-income New Yorkers as part of a larger proposal that would generate more than 3,000 housing units. As is customary for any such rezoning, there is a fight. But in these neighborhoods, the dynamics at play are much different than in other de Blasio-led land use plans. POLITICO's Janaki Chadha "AT THE HEADQUARTERS of SL Green, a real estate company in Manhattan, employees walk the halls with masks on, line up with proper spacing for free lunch and sit at cubicles behind plastic barriers that rise up well over six feet. Birthday parties are celebrated in the office — but over Zoom, with snacks available to be picked up and eaten by employees in front of their computers. Workers can even bring their children into the office for remote schooling, to be supervised by tutors paid by the company. 'They each have their own offices,' Francisca Lopez, a property accountant, said of the setup created for her 6-year-old son, Ian, and a handful of other children out of empty office space. 'It's the best incentive for me to come to work every day.' SL Green is one of a small number of companies in New York City that have required workers to return to the office during the coronavirus pandemic, at least for some tasks, a list that includes other real estate firms as well as some banks and international companies like JP Morgan Chase and L'Oréal. Some corporate leaders, frustrated by working from home and eager for their expensive spaces to hum again, have been offering increasingly generous incentives to bring employees back." New York Times' J. David Goodman
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