| | | | |  | | By Jeff Coltin, Nick Reisman and Emily Ngo | | Presented by |  | | | With Timmy Facciola
| 
“I do remind people, I was a DNC vice chair and a New York Assemblymember before successfully,” Michael Blake told Playbook. | Mary Altaffer/AP | For a guy who is notably ambitious, even for politics, Michael Blake’s latest play hints at parody. Blake has launched a campaign for mayor of New York City at the same time that he’s eyeing a run for chair of the Democratic National Committee. “I do remind people, I was a DNC vice chair and a New York Assemblymember before successfully,” Blake told Playbook. “People are looking for leadership wherever they can get it.” Blake isn’t a nobody. But he’s a longshot for either job, let alone both at the same time — which he said he could and would do, comparing it to Rep. Adriano Espaillat serving in the House while chairing the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Those roles are, of course, significantly less demanding than being mayor of the nation’s largest city. “NYC. DNC. A New Day is coming.” he posted on X Thursday night. Three days later, it hasn’t been reposted a single time. With a resumé topped by helping Barack Obama win Iowa in ’08 and a stint in the White House, Blake always seemed to think he was destined for more than Albany, where he served for three terms. He worked as an international political consultant while representing his South Bronx district. He was elected a DNC vice chair in 2017, got fourth in the Public Advocate special election in 2019, and gave up his Assembly seat in 2020 to finish second in a congressional primary. (That primary has legs, with Blake running for mayor, Rep. Ritchie Torres all but running for governor, Ydanis Rodríguez leading the Department of Transportation and Rubén Díaz, Sr. bringing President-elect Donald Trump to the South Bronx.) Playbook first reported Blake’s interest in mayor in October. Since then he hit the road speaking to Black men about Vice President Kamala Harris in swing states, bragging he did more for the campaign “than the rest of the rest of the field combined.” “We have a Black MAGA Mayor. Time for change,” Blake posted on X after Adams called to congratulate Trump. An associate pastor at a Baptist church, Blake is pitching himself particularly to the outer borough Black and brown voters who helped Adams win in 2021. In that race, Blake backed Maya Wiley, who ran one of the most lefty campaigns. Calling himself a “moderate who has had progressive policy success,” Blake pointed to a bipartisan bill he passed speeding up government payments to contractors. That’s part of his mayoral platform, along with a tax break for middle-class homeowners and universal child care. Blake is planning a launch rally for Tuesday, and Assemblymember Brian Cunningham lent a nice quote to the Times — even as his district overlaps with that of another Black mayoral candidate Zellnor Myrie. While keeping an eye on the DNC, Blake said his national ties are a distinction from other candidates. Blake lacks the city government experience of most recent mayors and most other contenders. “Come 2026 after all that (Trump) is saying he is going to do, when we are trying to figure out how to work with D.C., how to lead here in the city, how to engage with Albany when they're going through an election year — who do you think can actually lead this city? — Jeff Coltin IT’S MONDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | | | A message from Uber: Study Reveals Uber Drivers Make More than EMTs: NYC Uber drivers now earn an average of $52,900 annually after expenses, outpacing the salaries of many essential city employees, including EMTs and sanitation workers. Despite delivering vital services, these workers struggle with stagnant wages while Uber drivers have benefited from five TLC-mandated pay hikes since 2020. Read more on the wage disparity impacting NYC’s workforce. Learn More. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? In Dutchess County and Albany. WHERE’S ERIC? Swearing in Jessica Tisch as the next commissioner of the New York City Police Department, and later delivering remarks at a flag-raising ceremony for Panama. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “They indicted him, convicted him, but it’s like, ‘Look at me now!’ I think it’s like the girl in high school that turned you down for the prom. You always want to say, what about me now?” — the Rev. Al Sharpton in the New York Times of President-elect Donald Trump’s relationship with his hometown New York City
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | 
Democrats are trying to figure out the way forward after Donald Trump's decisive White House victory. | Terrance Williams/AP | THE COMEBACK PLAN: Despairing over the election results, Democrats are trying to plot their way out of the political wilderness. POLITICO reports the conversations in state party headquarters and the halls of Congress are leading Democrats to comb through granular election data and reassess their digital strategy after losing ground to Republicans’ social media platforms and big-name podcasters like Joe Rogan. George Gresham, president of the powerful 1199 SEIU union, plans to travel to Appalachia and speak with Trump voters. Rep. Tom Suozzi, a moderate Long Islander reelected to a swing seat, is urging his fellow Democrats to speak with and listen to Republicans. And Democrats believe New York can be one of the keys to climbing out of the deep hole they find themselves in after Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump. “If you look at New York, this will be a model for what we want to do in 2026,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said in an interview. “We can use New York as a model for how we get into red and purple places.” New York Democrats flipped three House seats on Election Day and fielded candidates who did not shy away from talking about issues Republicans have traditionally leveraged, like border security. Those races, plus the victories by Suozzi and Rep. Pat Ryan, are being analyzed for replication elsewhere in the country. Two years ago, Democrats lost crucial races in the New York City suburbs and the state party leaders were blamed for not doing enough to aid down-ballot candidates. New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs told Playbook despite successes he remains concerned left-flank officials and candidates have been too focused on narrow cultural issues that have alienated voters. “Voters want a much more simple, commonsense approach to things,” he said. “They want less emphasis on cultural issues; more emphasis on economic issues and specific policies that improve their lives.” He urged Democrats to not give Republicans “ammunition” in the culture war. “The Democratic brand has been taking a beating from Republicans on issues that are mainly a distraction, frankly,” he said. Yet some Democrats dismiss the hand-wringing from moderates — a central tension for the party as the second Trump administration begins in Washington. Deputy Senate Majority Leader Mike Gianaris said Democrats can point to successful economic issues like child care funding, support for renters and money for public schools. “What we do is enact laws that speak to the concerns that people have — predominantly economic,” he said in a recent interview with WCNY’s The Capitol Pressroom. And he doesn’t want his party to fall into mimicking the GOP. “I can’t stress enough that the lesson to be learned from this election is most certainly not that we need to be acting like Republicans,” he said. — Nick Reisman
| | | | Want to know what's really happening with Congress's make-or-break spending fights? Get daily insider analysis of Hill negotiations, funding deadlines, and breaking developments—free in your inbox with Inside Congress. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | CITY HALL: THE LATEST | | | | 
Even though they'll be working against each other this election, "Eric and I are very good friends," former Gov. David Paterson told Playbook. | Richard Drew/AP | PATERSON PICKS A MAYOR: Attorney Jim Walden is launching his mayoral campaign this morning with a Brooklyn rally and a high-profile chief campaign strategist: former Gov. David Paterson. Paterson’s hire represents a defection — he endorsed Adams in the final days of the 2021 primary and lent his name to Adams’ legal defense fundraising efforts after the federal investigation went public last year. He’s also complained about crime and disorder in the city — Adams’ signature issue. Working for a campaign against Adams isn’t a big deal, Paterson told Playbook. “If it was, Eric and I are very good friends, he would have called and yelled at me by now.” Adams is still asking Paterson’s advice as well, in fact — on public relations strategy about his indictment. Paterson wouldn't get specific but said it was “a point that he thought needed to be made” about the case. They didn’t end up going through with the idea after Trump won. Paterson was brutally honest about Walden, calling him “not a factor at this point” but said he was “honored to get a chance to be on the other side of the table,” and help the first-time candidate think like a politician. Paterson is a registered lobbyist for the Sands casino bid on Long Island. Adams’ team declined to comment. “He's a great guy. He's really smart and super experienced,” Walden said about Paterson. They’ve never worked together, only connecting during “the whole Mastro City Council debacle” in which they were both at City Hall supporting Randy Mastro’s doomed nomination as corporation counsel. Walden said he still expects there to be a nonpartisan special election for mayor — triggered if Adams steps down early — and hasn’t decided whether to run as a Democrat, Republican or independent. “I'm always going to be a centrist first,” Walden said. “I'm going to be conservative on economic prosperity issues and law enforcement issues, and I'm going to be very far left of center when it comes to social justice issues.” — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — Former Building Commissioner Eric Ulrich did not get much money when he auctioned off an old Mickey Mantle card. (New York Post) — No additional parks funding was included in Adams’ budget update, even as fires plague green spaces. (Gothamist) — NYC ICE director says it would take a “lifetime” to remove criminals who are migrants without additional resources. (New York Post)
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | | 
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes' bill follows a deal struck between Hochul and lawmakers creating regulations to shield the data of users under 18. | Shawn Ness/POLITICO | GROUP CHAT: State Sen. Andrew Gounardes isn’t done with regulating social media platforms. The Brooklyn Democrat recently proposed a bill that is aimed at chat functions on gaming and social media platforms like Roblox. The lawmaker is concerned they have become a breeding ground for predatory behavior. “I’m very concerned about how technology like this and platforms like this have become a way for people to do harm to the most vulnerable,” he told Playbook. Gounardes wants the chat functions automatically turned off for users under 18. Parents can affirmatively turn the chat function on under the legislation. The measure would also require parents to approve financial transactions that are connected to a minor’s account. For users under 13, parents would be able to view the account’s list of approved friends. The legislation was proposed following reports of child predators attempting to exploit children on the platforms. “We see kids who are glued to their phones and we can visualize a problem with that,” Gounardes said. “We don’t see kids exploited on a gaming platform.” His bill follows a deal struck between Hochul and lawmakers this year to create regulations to shield the data of users under 18 and turn off algorithmic-based feeds that critics contend feed addiction. Social media firms and their lobbyists fought against the legislation approved this year and have warned it could infringe upon free speech. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — A generous Hochul donor lobbied to save a transmission pipeline project. (POLITICO Pro) — New York state will begin cracking down on the so-called “puppy mill” pipeline next month. (Newsday) — Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation of former Assembly candidate Dao Yin for illegally claiming matching funds. (New York Times)
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | | 
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer is one of only three House Republicans who co-sponsored the PRO Act. | Steve Dipaola/AP | LABOR SHIFT IN GOP: New York’s moderate, battleground House Republicans cheered Trump’s nominee for Labor secretary, pro-union Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), even as others assailed her as a RINO. The president-elect announced her Friday as his choice in a flurry of activity before declaring his Cabinet complete. “Her proven track record of championing hardworking families, supporting American manufacturing, and delivering results makes her the perfect leader to strengthen our economy and protect our workforce,” Long Island Rep. Nick LaLota posted on X. Chavez-DeRemer, one of only three House Republicans who co-sponsored the PRO Act, underscores an ongoing GOP shift toward unions — and unions toward the GOP, as Playbook has reported. It also reflects a realignment of alliances among the labor movement and the working class that once made up the Democrats’ base. Teamsters president Sean O’Brien, who spoke at the Republican National Convention and whose union declined to endorse in the race for president, applauded Chavez-DeRemer. So did Reps. Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro, Anthony D’Esposito and others. Lawler and others cut into their Democratic opponents’ labor support with nods from Teamster, Transport Workers and other unions during this year’s House races. — Emily Ngo More from Congress: — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is staying out of Republican turmoil over Trump’s more contentious picks to spotlight the GOP’s divides. (New York Times) — Progressives begin their search for a new leader, with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a contender. (The Hill) — Reps. Pat Ryan and Marc Molinaro are on opposite sides of legislation that would allow the Treasury secretary to designate nonprofit organizations as terrorism supporters. (Daily Freeman)
| | | | Policy Change is Coming: Be prepared, be proactive, be a Pro. POLITICO Pro’s platform has 200,000+ energy regulatory documents from California, New York, and FERC. Leverage our Legislative and Regulatory trackers for comprehensive policy tracking across all industries. Learn more. | | | | | | | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — For the first time in the NYPD’s history, there are more Hispanics in the rank of police officer than any other demographic group. (Daily News) — City hotel rates are soaring ahead of the holiday travel season. (New York Times) — County governments and New York City shelled out $343 million to pay for elections this year. (Times Union) — The weeklong Jennings Creek wildfire in Orange County has been contained. (Times Union)
| | | | A message from Uber: Study Shows Uber Drivers making over $52k while NYC Heroes Get Left Behind
A new study reveals a growing wage divide in New York City: Uber drivers are making an average of $52,900 a year after expenses, while city employees like EMTs and sanitation workers starting salaries are below $44,000. Since 2020, rideshare drivers have received five pay increases through TLC mandates while many frontline city workers face stagnant wages amid rising living costs. This gap underscores an evolving dynamic in NYC’s workforce, where gig workers see consistent earnings growth while essential city roles lag behind. This pay disparity is raising questions about the city’s priorities and the need for equitable wages in public service amidst the affordability crisis.
Read the full story to see how gig work earnings are reshaping NYC’s labor landscape. Learn More. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: Michael Spinelli, formerly senior director at CCS Fundraising, has joined Open New York as its first director of development. MEDIAWATCH — Per Talking Biz News: "Brent Jones, the senior vice president of training, culture and community at Dow Jones, is leaving the news organization." HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYT’s Gail Collins … Amit Bagga of Public Progress … Park Strategies’ David Poleto … Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager … Frank Llewellyn … WFP’s Joe Dinkin … CNN’s Abby Phillip … Mark Bloomfield of the American Council for Capital Formation … Insider’s Brent Griffiths … Keith Sonderling … Kendrick Lau … Emilie Jackson … (WAS SUNDAY): Reporter Rich Calder … Regine Roy … Charise Lawrence … Jared Cohen … Tom LoBianco … MSNBC’s Rachel Witkin … Sally Susman of Pfizer … Tyler Goodspeed of the Hoover Institution … Paul Tagliabue … Christopher Crane … … (WAS SATURDAY): Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer … NYT’s Carolyn Ryan … Greenbook’s Austin Shafran … Michael Kink of Strong Economy for All … former Council Members Diana Reyna and Michael Nelson … Assemblymember Michael Durso … RG Group’s Alan Rosenberg … Geoff Morrell … Amy Schatz of Glen Echo Group … Danny Cevallos … Leonid Bershidsky … Keith Boynton … Jade Walker … (WAS FRIDAY): Fred Wilpon ... Sally Katzen ... Peggy Orenstein ... Harry Siegel ... Scarlett Johansson ... Jessica Pepper Missed Friday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here. | | | | 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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