Rebecca C. Lewis
@rebeccaclewis.bsky.social
State politics at @CityandStateNY.bsky.social. She/her. Mom to Ivy the Capitol Dog. Pitches and dog pics to rlewis@cityandstateny.com. rfclewis.38 on Signal
The state Senate will pass the pre-chapter amendments to the Medical Aid in Dying Act tomorrow. Approving the agreed upon changes, including a later effective date, will pave the way for Gov. Hochul to sign the original bill from last year, which she must do by EOD Friday
February 4, 2026 at 12:07 AM
The state Senate will pass the pre-chapter amendments to the Medical Aid in Dying Act tomorrow. Approving the agreed upon changes, including a later effective date, will pave the way for Gov. Hochul to sign the original bill from last year, which she must do by EOD Friday
NEW: Former Assembly Member @yuhline Niou tells me she is officially running for state Senate to replace Brian Kavanagh. "Democrats can't keep compromising in the face of government-sponsored violence and creeping totalitarianism," she says in a statement.
February 3, 2026 at 11:53 PM
NEW: Former Assembly Member @yuhline Niou tells me she is officially running for state Senate to replace Brian Kavanagh. "Democrats can't keep compromising in the face of government-sponsored violence and creeping totalitarianism," she says in a statement.
The Investigative Post reports that Antonio Delgado has tapped India Walton as his LG running mate. Walton very nearly became the socialist mayor of Buffalo after beating then-Mayor Byron Brown in the Democratic primary (tho not the general) www.investigativepost.org/2026/02/03/d...
Antonio Delgado picks India Walton to be his lieutenant governor
India Walton, a celebrity among progressive Democrats, helps underscore the differences between Delgado and centrist incumbent Kathy Hochul.
www.investigativepost.org
February 3, 2026 at 10:26 PM
The Investigative Post reports that Antonio Delgado has tapped India Walton as his LG running mate. Walton very nearly became the socialist mayor of Buffalo after beating then-Mayor Byron Brown in the Democratic primary (tho not the general) www.investigativepost.org/2026/02/03/d...
NEW: State Sen. Brian Kavanagh of lower Manhattan has announced he will not seek reelection. "I believe that all of us in elected office owe it to our constituents to recognize when... they would be well served by electing someone new." Full statement here www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/pre...
February 3, 2026 at 10:13 PM
NEW: State Sen. Brian Kavanagh of lower Manhattan has announced he will not seek reelection. "I believe that all of us in elected office owe it to our constituents to recognize when... they would be well served by electing someone new." Full statement here www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/pre...
From last night: The Gateway Development Corporation is suing the federal government for breach of contract by freezing promised funding for the Hudson River Tunnel. Construction will shut down on Friday if the feds don't release the money
February 3, 2026 at 3:27 PM
From last night: The Gateway Development Corporation is suing the federal government for breach of contract by freezing promised funding for the Hudson River Tunnel. Construction will shut down on Friday if the feds don't release the money
Them's fighting words. Upstate debate jumpscare in the book I'm reading
February 2, 2026 at 8:39 PM
Them's fighting words. Upstate debate jumpscare in the book I'm reading
Speaking at the launch party for Darializa Avila Chevalier in Harlem, former Rep. Jamaal Bowman calls Rep. Adriano Espaillat a "coward," charging Espaillat avoided him on the House floor after Bowman asked for his endorsement "because he has been in the pocket of AIPAC"
January 31, 2026 at 1:41 AM
Speaking at the launch party for Darializa Avila Chevalier in Harlem, former Rep. Jamaal Bowman calls Rep. Adriano Espaillat a "coward," charging Espaillat avoided him on the House floor after Bowman asked for his endorsement "because he has been in the pocket of AIPAC"
While she has now proposed banning 287(g) agreements in New York, Gov. Hochul today still declined to offer her support to the "abolish ICE" movement. "ICE desperately needs to be reformed and retrained. But we also have to have borders that are protected," she said
January 30, 2026 at 5:19 PM
While she has now proposed banning 287(g) agreements in New York, Gov. Hochul today still declined to offer her support to the "abolish ICE" movement. "ICE desperately needs to be reformed and retrained. But we also have to have borders that are protected," she said
NEW: Gov. Hochul proposing outlawing 287(g) agreements, which are formal agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. This is a significant shift for the governor, who has largely shied away from supporting restricting local sovereignty here
January 30, 2026 at 3:22 PM
NEW: Gov. Hochul proposing outlawing 287(g) agreements, which are formal agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. This is a significant shift for the governor, who has largely shied away from supporting restricting local sovereignty here
Gov. Hochul is flanked by the NYPD and Albany police commissioners, as well as four of the five NYC district attorneys as she prepares to announce new immigrant protections
January 30, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Gov. Hochul is flanked by the NYPD and Albany police commissioners, as well as four of the five NYC district attorneys as she prepares to announce new immigrant protections
Talking to reporters, Hochul says she will announce her LG pick "right before" next week's convention, but did not comment on any specific person under consideration. “We cast a wide net for pre-vetting, and we are in the pre-vetting stage," she said
Per sources familiar, Gov. Hochul approached Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez about being LG a few weeks ago, requesting he submit vetting materials. Sources say he has not made a decision on what he would do yet. Bernadette Hogan reported Jamaal Bailey and Donovan Richards said no to Hochul
January 28, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Talking to reporters, Hochul says she will announce her LG pick "right before" next week's convention, but did not comment on any specific person under consideration. “We cast a wide net for pre-vetting, and we are in the pre-vetting stage," she said
Gov. Hochul receives a warm welcome from HTC members at her first campaign rally of the year. "This is the very first union that threw their support behind me when I was running for governor four years ago"
January 28, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Gov. Hochul receives a warm welcome from HTC members at her first campaign rally of the year. "This is the very first union that threw their support behind me when I was running for governor four years ago"
LG Antonio Delgado says he's seeking support at next week's convention to get a place on the ballot, but still plans to petition. "We're going to try to get as many as we can get, and then we're going to petition." Can he hit 25%? "That will speak for itself when the time comes"
January 28, 2026 at 5:29 PM
LG Antonio Delgado says he's seeking support at next week's convention to get a place on the ballot, but still plans to petition. "We're going to try to get as many as we can get, and then we're going to petition." Can he hit 25%? "That will speak for itself when the time comes"
Per sources familiar, Gov. Hochul approached Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez about being LG a few weeks ago, requesting he submit vetting materials. Sources say he has not made a decision on what he would do yet. Bernadette Hogan reported Jamaal Bailey and Donovan Richards said no to Hochul
January 28, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Per sources familiar, Gov. Hochul approached Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez about being LG a few weeks ago, requesting he submit vetting materials. Sources say he has not made a decision on what he would do yet. Bernadette Hogan reported Jamaal Bailey and Donovan Richards said no to Hochul
Unsurprisingly, the state GOP is jumping on the news from Bernadette Hogan that Jamaal Bailey and Donovan Richards have turned down Gov. Hochul's request they be her running mate. "Why would anyone else give up their career to play second banana?"
January 28, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Unsurprisingly, the state GOP is jumping on the news from Bernadette Hogan that Jamaal Bailey and Donovan Richards have turned down Gov. Hochul's request they be her running mate. "Why would anyone else give up their career to play second banana?"
Speaking at a CBC breakfast, Andy Byford, heading the Penn Station redesign project, suggests he's not fully informed on the prospect Hudson River Tunnel construction could halt Friday. "I'm aware of the sort of current talk of Gateway. I need to fully come up to speed with that"
January 28, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Speaking at a CBC breakfast, Andy Byford, heading the Penn Station redesign project, suggests he's not fully informed on the prospect Hudson River Tunnel construction could halt Friday. "I'm aware of the sort of current talk of Gateway. I need to fully come up to speed with that"
Inbox: The commission overseeing the Gateway Program says that construction on the crucial Hudson River tunnel will pause if the feds don't restore funding
January 27, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Inbox: The commission overseeing the Gateway Program says that construction on the crucial Hudson River tunnel will pause if the feds don't restore funding
Gov. Hochul said she spoke with NYC Mayor Mamdani this morning about the major winter storm coming. "He's ready to go," she said.
Mamdani's handling of this weather emergency will be his first big test, and Hochul made it clear the state is ready to step in to help if needed
Mamdani's handling of this weather emergency will be his first big test, and Hochul made it clear the state is ready to step in to help if needed
January 23, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Gov. Hochul said she spoke with NYC Mayor Mamdani this morning about the major winter storm coming. "He's ready to go," she said.
Mamdani's handling of this weather emergency will be his first big test, and Hochul made it clear the state is ready to step in to help if needed
Mamdani's handling of this weather emergency will be his first big test, and Hochul made it clear the state is ready to step in to help if needed
*THREE special elections in NYC, my bad. There is not a weird circumstance where one borough will vote and another will not.
So all the races for AD 36 and 74, and SD 47, will have NO early voting Sunday
So all the races for AD 36 and 74, and SD 47, will have NO early voting Sunday
New: Gov. Hochul announced that early voting for NYC's two special elections coming up on Feb. 3 will be CANCELED on Sunday due to dangerous weather conditions. Monday may get canceled too, though still on for now.
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
January 23, 2026 at 2:31 PM
*THREE special elections in NYC, my bad. There is not a weird circumstance where one borough will vote and another will not.
So all the races for AD 36 and 74, and SD 47, will have NO early voting Sunday
So all the races for AD 36 and 74, and SD 47, will have NO early voting Sunday
Although Hochul mistakenly said early voting was set to start Sunday, the first day of early voting is still Saturday. So if you planned to go to the polls tomorrow, you still can.
And for voters in Buffalo, early voting days remain unaffected as the city is expecting less snow
And for voters in Buffalo, early voting days remain unaffected as the city is expecting less snow
New: Gov. Hochul announced that early voting for NYC's two special elections coming up on Feb. 3 will be CANCELED on Sunday due to dangerous weather conditions. Monday may get canceled too, though still on for now.
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
January 23, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Although Hochul mistakenly said early voting was set to start Sunday, the first day of early voting is still Saturday. So if you planned to go to the polls tomorrow, you still can.
And for voters in Buffalo, early voting days remain unaffected as the city is expecting less snow
And for voters in Buffalo, early voting days remain unaffected as the city is expecting less snow
New: Gov. Hochul announced that early voting for NYC's two special elections coming up on Feb. 3 will be CANCELED on Sunday due to dangerous weather conditions. Monday may get canceled too, though still on for now.
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
January 23, 2026 at 2:13 PM
New: Gov. Hochul announced that early voting for NYC's two special elections coming up on Feb. 3 will be CANCELED on Sunday due to dangerous weather conditions. Monday may get canceled too, though still on for now.
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
Hochul says extra hours will get added to make up for lost days
Hochul warning New Yorkers about the impending winter storm
January 22, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Hochul warning New Yorkers about the impending winter storm
I spoke with Rana Abdelhamid, who is running against the pick of Democrats, the WFP, DSA and Mayor Mamdani himself to replace the mayor in the Assembly. She had some thoughts about how she got here and laid out her plan to beat the odds with a victory www.cityandstateny.com/personality/...
Everyone’s against Rana Abdelhamid. She’s running anyway.
A Q&A with the Assembly candidate running in a special election against the new “establishment.”
www.cityandstateny.com
January 22, 2026 at 8:42 PM
I spoke with Rana Abdelhamid, who is running against the pick of Democrats, the WFP, DSA and Mayor Mamdani himself to replace the mayor in the Assembly. She had some thoughts about how she got here and laid out her plan to beat the odds with a victory www.cityandstateny.com/personality/...
Albany programming note: The state Legislature has canceled session on Monday due to inclement weather and will instead meet Tuesday-Thursday next week (instead of ending on Wednesday)
January 22, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Albany programming note: The state Legislature has canceled session on Monday due to inclement weather and will instead meet Tuesday-Thursday next week (instead of ending on Wednesday)
Reposted by Rebecca C. Lewis
FYI - we added the proposed map from the lawsuit to the @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social Redistricting & You map so you can compare with the current lines and other proposals. Here's a link showing the Manhattan portion of NY11: newyork.redistrictingandyou.org?districtType... cc @petersterne.com
NYS Redistricting 2021-2023-??
newyork.redistrictingandyou.org
January 22, 2026 at 3:36 AM
FYI - we added the proposed map from the lawsuit to the @thegraduatecenter.bsky.social Redistricting & You map so you can compare with the current lines and other proposals. Here's a link showing the Manhattan portion of NY11: newyork.redistrictingandyou.org?districtType... cc @petersterne.com