Dispatches from Planet Albany

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado has embarked on a longshot bid to be the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 2026, so we wanted to explore what the path looks like to beating Gov. Kathy Hochul next June. Mapping out this course is Rebecca Garrard, co-executive director of Citizen Action of New York, which is playing footsie with Delgado. In the second part of our conversation we touch on the role of the...

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado has embarked on a longshot bid to be the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 2026, so we wanted to explore what the path looks like to beating Gov. Kathy Hochul next June. Mapping out this course is Rebecca Garrrard, co-executive director of Citizen Action of New York, which is playing footsie with Delgado. In the first part of our conversation we touch on the benefits of...

The passage of four years since the legalization of marijuana has done little to calm these rocky waters and bring stability to this chaotic industry. To discuss how the wind is currently blowing in the cannabis landscape, we checked in with Katie Neer, who is of counsel with Dickinson & Avella. Katie and host David Lombardo talked about an anonymous letter from staff at the Office of Cannabis Man...

There are two weeks left on the legislative calendar and staff, lobbyists and state lawmakers are already feeling the crunch. So we explore what it's like navigating this stressful time period and whether anything big will get done down the stretch this session with former Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, a lobbyist with Brown & Weinraub. Host David Lombardo talks with the Rockland County Democrat about...

We're drafting again and this time we've got a new cast of characters selecting their favorite political movies. Host David Lombardo is joined by Amanda Henning Santiago , of The Parkside Group, and Sam Alberti , formerly of the executive chamber. We're picking six different categories of films, exploring what constitutes a political movie, and debating how to push your favorites on to other peopl...

The state budget is in the rear view mirror, so we pick through some of the leftover crumbs and consider what tasty stories are left for the rest of session with Shontell Smith, a partner with Tusk Strategies. We also explore the budget dynamics between the state legislature and governor with former state Budget Director Bob Megna, who also reveals if his opinion was ever solicited on non-fiscal i...

Controversial legislation allowing terminally ill New Yorkers to end their lives with the help of a doctor received a vote in the Assembly this spring, surprising Capitol observers because the measure divided important constituencies in the Assembly majority, has no guarantee of getting a vote in the Senate and might be dead on arrival if it gets to the governor. To learn how the floor vote came t...

Tusk Strategies Partner Shontell Smith and Capitol Pressroom host David Lombardo try to explain why "Medical Aid in Dying" legislation got a vote in the Assembly this week. Then they talk about the state of the budget (which we still haven't seen) and whether any of the highlights championed by Gov. Kathy Hochul will resonate with voters. Along the way they also reveal how their significant others...

The field of Republican candidates for governor in 2026 is starting to take shape, so we wanted to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the big names who are out there and consider what it will take for the GOP to win back the executive mansion in next year. Our guest is Chapin Fay, a conservative communications and political strategist, who is founder of Lighthouse Public Affairs. 

Tusk Strategies partner Shontell Smith brings the fury and wrath of a vengeful god to this episode, as she responds to last week's political draft on the podcast, when her firm was not selected in the "Most Powerful Lobbying Firm" category. She addresses this omission and other categories from the draft, before discussing state budget negotiations and a potential run for governor by Rep. Elise Ste...

Based on the success of our first Dispatches from Planet Albany draft, we're going back to the well and drafting new categories. We're drafting most powerful interest groups, most effective PR consultants, best LG choice for Governor Hochul in 2026, and much more. Teams are being assembled by Dan Clark, author of the Capitol Confidential newsletter for the Times Union, Raga Justin, a Capitol repor...

At this point in the state budget process, a few days into the new fiscal year and high-level negotiations still hammering out major sticking points, there isn't much for rank-and-file state lawmakers to do when they're at the Capitol. We talked with Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, a Brooklyn Democrat, now working on her fifth budget, about how she prepares for this period and what she does to occ...

State Sen. James Skoufis may not have gotten to lead the DNC, but he did get the next best thing: an invite to this podcast. We talked with the Orange County Democrat about his unsuccessful national leadership bid, his political ambition in New York, the 2026 race for governor, and reforming the Democratic state party. 

This week's Dispatches from Planet Albany episode features content that couldn't fit on the radio, but is perfect for political nerds looking for inside baseball conversations. We peppered state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli about his political ambitions, who he's backing for governor in 2026, the debate over aging elected officials, and how he'll approach oversight of the new CDPAP contract. And Richa...

Did you know you can legally bet on political outcomes in America? And not just big elections, but obscure political races in New York City or the fate of Gov. Kathy Hochul's rebate check proposal. In light of host David Lombardo jumping into this world with both feet, we explore the odds behind some of the most hotly discussed elections in Planet Albany and consider what other political events in...

We explore what contributed to the wildcat strike by prison guards around New York and whether there is a long-term solution to the underlying tension in the state corrections system. Our guest is Chris Gelardi, a reporter with New York Focus. 

For our banter with Tusk Strategies Partner Shontell Smith, we discuss the conscious decoupling between Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado and Gov. Kathy Hochul. Then we reflect on the governor's underwhelming effort to put so-called guardrails on the powers of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Our deep dive this show is into the 21st Congressional District and whether Democrats should be spending any of thei...

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado formally detached his political future from Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday, announcing he would not be running for re-election in 2026. In light of this shakeup in the political landscape, we had to do a bonus episode of the podcast and we turned to Rich Azzopardi, a veteran of years of gubernatorial drama and now the founder of Bulldog Strategies. We discussed the next steps...

We're breaking new ground on the podcast and holding our first ever fantasy draft, where we choose elected officials for six different categories. Our teams will be assembled by Dan Clark, author of the Capitol Confidential newsletter for the Times Union, Raga Justin, a Capitol reporter for the Times Union, and David Lombardo, home cook. After you listen to the podcast, visit The Capitol Pressroom...

This weekend is one of the biggest celebrations in Planet Albany, as the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators hosts its 54th Annual Conference. We talk about the glitz and glamour, the workshops, overhauling the association's scholarships, and the code of conduct with Charlene Gayle, the organization's executive director. We also gab about the past week's...

Democratic consultant Bradley Honan, president and CEO of the Honan Strategy Group, is making the case that power in state government has become more diffuse (while still acknowledging that the legislative leaders and governor still call the shots).  We also get our first "Delgado Watch" update from Jason Beeferman, author of the Politico New York Playbook PM , who tracked down Lt. Gov. Antonio De...

On this bonus episode, we're joined by Democratic political operative Bradley Honan, CEO & President of the Honan Strategy Group. Up first, we discuss the potential fallout for Democrats in New York if they adjust the election calendar to extend the vacancy of a GOP congressional seat. Then we learn why Honan is polling the New York City Democratic mayoral primary and consider how candidates shoul...

Politico New York reporter Marie French explains the latest delays in implementing cap-and-invest, considers the ramifications of the governor's likely pick to lead the DEC, and reveals the New Zealand snack that fueled her budget hearing consumption. And we also check in with Tusk Strategies Partner Shontell Smith, who gabs about "widely attended events" and her disappointment with the Democratic...

Tusk Strategies Partner Shontell Smith is back on the podcast to answer a listener question about her favorite lobbyist, explain how she digests the budget (compared to her time in the Senate), and address the challenges standing in the way of a final budget deal this year.

Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered a State of the State address that was emblematic of her policy priorities and rhetorical style, as she offered homespun pearls of wisdoms and western New York anecdotes to pitch her affordability and safety agenda to policymakers, interested stakeholders, and the press. We break down the big day and what could happen next with Dan Clark, author of the Times Union's Capi...