Dispatches from Planet Albany

In advance of the legislative session, host David Lombardo and Tusk Strategies partner Shontell Plummer are making some predictions for the year ahead and putting out into the world their hopes and dreams for life in Planet Albany. They discuss the timing of the budget, the potential for increasing taxes, funding for child care, overhauling alcohol laws and the possibility of seeing dogs at the Ca...

For the final episode of 2025, host David Lombardo talks with Politico New York Albany Bureau Chief Nick Reisman about some of the stories from the last 12 months that will likely reverberate in 2026 and the events that New Yorkers will probably not remember. They chat about the fallout from the prison strikes, the election law changes that never materialized, restrictions on smartphones in school...

Before we say goodbye to 2025, we want to remember some of the narratives and events that captivated us (for good or bad) during the year. For this trip down memory lane, host David Lombardo is joined by Capitol Confidential author Dan Clark and Bloomberg Industry Capitol reporter Raga Justin . They discuss cursing from politicians, the election law changes that never happened, turnover at the Cap...

Former state Budget Director Bob Megna, now the president of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, joins the show to explain how the Hochul administration is navigating lost federal funding. We discuss the wiggle room in the state's spending plan, the potential for cutting agency red tape, and how serioulsy to take projected holes from the Division of Budget. He also sheds some light on behind-...

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik suspended her short-lived bid for governor on Friday afternoon, so we're breaking down her anouncement and the ramifications of the decision, including what this means for the Republican gubernatorial landscape. Our guest is Chapin Fay, a Republican strategist and founder of Lighthouse Public Affairs. And if this type of insider discussion  is your cup of tea, you may...

On paper, a Hudson Valley Senate District that includes the communities of Poughkeepsie, Newburgh and Beacon would seem made for a Democratic representative, but since redistricting it has been occupied by Republican Rob Rolison. In 2026, Poughkeepsie City Councilman Evan Menist is hoping to flip control of the seat by riding a blue wave and talking about affordability until he is blue in the face...

It's the season of giving: Giving somewhat controversial bills to the governor for her signature, veto, or the promise of future amendments. There are 122 bills awaiting action by Gov. Kathy Hochul (at the time of the podcast recording), so we're reflecting on the process of delivering bills at the end of the year and unpacking some of the pending legislation with the help of Dan Clark, author of...

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's flirtation with a run for governor became official this week, as he announced his bid to be the GOP nominee to take on Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026. We explored his path to a primary victory and an upset in November with Michael Dawidziak, a Long Island-based Republican strategist. We talked about Blakeman's resume, the possibility of strategic voting by GOP p...

While Democrats were making inroads all over New York in November, they were turned back in the race for mayor of Binghamton, where the GOP incumbent secured re-election despite a major enrollment disadvantage. This got us interested in the larger Broome County Republican apparatus, so we're checking in with their 31-year-old chair, Benji Federman. We talk about his pathway into political leadersh...

After years of anticipation, plus some twists and turns along the way, there is clarity about the future casino landscape in the New York City area. We broke down the significance of the state siting board's decision with Bennett Liebman, one of the architect's of the 2013 law that paved the way to the proliferation of casino licenses in New York. We consider what to expect with these projects, li...

The race for governor of New York won't be decided for another eleven months, but a snapshot of the contest from the fall by a conservative think tank suggests the election is winnable for Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. We unpack the findings, including Gov. Kathy Hochul's underwhelming performance in New York City, and the poll's methodology with Jesse Arm , vice president of external a...

Tusk Strategies partner Shontell Smith Plummer is back on the podcast after a lengthy absence to discuss whether a leak from the Hochul administration was accidentally done on purpose, the possibility of tax increases in next year's state budget, and whether Democratic lawmakers at the Capitol are going to veer to the left because of possible primaries. We also talk about who the governor might ta...

In 2022, corruption charges blew up the career trajectory for then-Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin. More than three years later, with the case dropped by federal prosecutors, the Harlem Democrat has a new life and a new perspective on the legal system and his life's journey. Benjamin visited the studio to reflect on the allegations of bribery from his time in the state senate, consider the role of the gov...

A recent report from the Business Council of New York State made the case that employers in the Empire State don't feel like they're being heard by state policymakers. Putting aside that every interest group feels like this, it's undeniable that business interests do play a lot of defense during the legislative session in Albany. To discuss the lobbying efforts of the business community we sat dow...

What does it mean to be a Democrat? That's the question being posed to the party faithful in New York by Matt Castelli, who is best known in the Empire State for his 2022 congressional shellacking at the hands of Rep. Elise Stefanik. The former CIA operative has regrouped in Dutchess County, where there is speculation about a 2027 run for county executive, and is hoping to rebuild his party's bran...

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has a short list of accomplishments in Albany during his time in the Assembly, but his plans for the Big Apple will require him to be successful at the state's Capitol.  We talked about that path to success with Assemblymember Amanda Septimo, a Bronx Democrat, who has been described as part of Mamdani's "brain trust." We consider what he'll prioritize for A...

After months of flirting with a gubernatorial run, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik jumped into the race in November. We discuss the North Country Republican's longshot path to the Executive Mansion in Albany with Chapin Fay, a veteran GOP strategist and founder of Lighthouse Public Affairs . We talk about the importance of New York City for Stefanik in a general election, consider the ramifications o...

Democrats made inroads all over New York on Election Day, including flipping some Republican-held county legislatures, and the party's mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, got the highest number of votes in decades. We break down this good news for the Democratic Party, the not-so-good news in Nassau County, the status of the New York party infrastructure, and the prospects of governing and running fo...

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado joins the show to talk politics, including share his grievances with the New York Democratic Party under the control of Gov. Kathy Hochul and NY Dems Chair Jay Jacobs. The gubernatorial hopeful also discusses the future of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and what he's looking for in a number two. You can catch our conversation about his policy positions, including support for Medi...

The field of contenders for three downstate casino licenses has been whittled down to three options and the selection process could conclude imminently, so we're checking in on how we got there and what might happen next. Crain's New York Business political reporter Nick Garber discusses the surprise decision by MGM to abandon their casino bid, highlights some of the peculiar moments in this journ...

After documenting the challenging working conditions and underwhelming compensation for central staff in the Assembly, New York Focus senior reporter Sam Mellins reports that at least the pay is getting better for the behind-the-scenes personnel that make the people's house run. Mellins discusses who is getting a raise and the status of unionization efforts by legislative staffer. Then for Working...

Wonder who is on the rise in New York? Curious what campaign are heading in the wrong direction?  Patrick Wildes, director of Albany Law School's Government Law Center, and Dan Clark, author of the Capitol Confidential newsletter, join host David Lombardo to offer trading tips on issues and people for our Capitol stock market.  They make predictions on the future of Sen. Andrew Gounardes, treatmen...

New York policymakers will face some hard choices in 2026 about the state's health care system as the result of changes coming from Washington D.C. that include cuts to providers and regulations that could bounce people off government-run insurance.   Advocates of the New York Health Act, which would create a state-run, single-payer health insurance system, hope the state's predicament will make t...

Raj Goyle is one of a growing list of Democrats looking to wrest their party's state comptroller nomination away from incumbent Tom DiNapoli. The former Kansas state lawmaker argues that the powers of the comptroller's office have been wasted and makes the case that his background makes him the optimal change candidate.  We touch on his voting record in the Wheat State, the type of primary voter w...

New Yorkers with disabilities have no problem finding rhetorical support in Albany, but champions willing and able to deliver meaningful funding and policies are harder to find.  We explore this dynamic, including how it might change, with Michael Schweinsburg, president of the 504 Democratic Club, a political advocacy group that endorsed Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado for governor. We touch on the dema...