The wider implications of the Stefanik-Langworthy feud

From: POLITICO New York Playbook PM - Tuesday Jun 21,2022 08:34 pm

Jun 21, 2022

President Donald Trump, left, listens as Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks before signing a $716 billion defense policy bill named for John McCain Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, in Fort Drum, N.Y.

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2018 file photo, President Donald Trump, left, listens as Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks before signing a $716 billion defense policy bill named for John McCain at Fort Drum, N.Y. In two New York congressional districts just miles apart, Republican incumbents facing re-election battles are waging two different campaigns: One, Stefanik, has embraced Trump. The other, John Katko, is running as a moderate. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File) | AP Photo/Hans Pennink

By all indications, they were initially friendly enough. Then a series of events led to a deterioration in the relationship between state GOP chairman Nick Langworthy and Rep. Elise Stefanik, the North Country member of Congress with growing influence in Washington and New York.

The bad blood spilled into public view over the past month after Stefanik quickly endorsed Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino for Congress in Western New York ahead of Langworthy’s entry into the Aug. 23 primary race.

Her endorsement and Langworthy’s decision to run for Congress while he serves as state chairman have brought many issues to a head, as POLITICO colleagues Olivia Beavers and Meredith McGraw wrote today.

For one, there’s a growing discontent among state Republican leaders about Langworthy staying on as chairman as he runs for Congress. At last night’s GOP gubernatorial primary debate, only Rep. Lee Zeldin — the party’s pick for governor — said Langworthy should stay as chairman; the other three said he should go.

And the Stefanik-Langworthy fight led the combatants to try to block money and resources to one another, officials told POLITICO. But it seems as though cooler heads prevailed.

“Chairman Langworthy works together seamlessly with Chairwoman (Ronna) McDaniel and her team on behalf of all our GOP candidates and elected officials,” state Republican spokesperson Jessica Proud said. “We have a number of important initiatives including the field program that we are working together on hiring and implementing for the 2022 cycle. Any suggestion otherwise is plain false.”

Then there is Stefanik’s endorsement of Paladino, the 2010 gubernatorial candidate who has long made incendiary and racist comments, more of which have come to light in recent weeks, such as a remark last year that Hitler is “the kind of leader we need today. We need somebody inspirational.”

He has apologized, but Stefanik continues to be dogged about her endorsement and whether it could hurt her future ascension among the House ranks, where she is now conference chair.

A Stefanik spokesperson said she has “one of the strongest records in the U.S. Congress condemning anti-Semitism and led and passed bipartisan legislation to expand Holocaust education.”

Her fight with Langworthy and her endorsement of Paladino also suggests Stefanik views Paladino as the frontrunner, and if he wins, it would be another shot across the bow at Langworthy.

An unnamed Republican operative contended that Paladino is in strong position to win the seat and join with other conservative firebrands like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)

“This will be a huge, embarrassing loss for Langworthy in August,” the operative predicted.

Oh, and there’s also the Trump factor, too: Paladino, Langworthy and Stefanik have all been staunch allies of the former president. And all sides are looking to see if he’ll jump in or stay on the sidelines — as he appears to be doing in the GOP gubernatorial race, where his loyalties also are divided.

IT’S TUESDAY (No, it’s not Monday): New York Playbook PM is back after the holiday weekend as we head into the final week before New York’s primaries for governor and state Assembly. Stay with us as we keep you up-to-date on the latest New York news from the campaign trail, in Albany and in City Hall. Summer is here, and the news keeps heating up!

From the Capitol

IN HER WORDS: State health commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett opened up in a column for Elle about her decision to have an abortion in 1979 when she unexpectedly got pregnant while in medical school.

“My own decision-making process was swift. How could a first-year intern who was expected to work 36-hour shifts also carry and care for a child? She — I — could not,” she wrote.

“I turned to the same institution that had provided me, and generations before me, with safe contraception: a Planned Parenthood center in New York. Only this time, I needed a safe, legal, and affordable abortion. I have barely looked back since.

“Until now.” — Joseph Spector

POTHOLES ON MY TRIP: Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke today at LaGuardia Community College's 50th annual commencement ceremony, and, well, she was a tad late. Blame the potholes, she said.

“I had something that might be a little common to some of you living out here. I had a flat tire,” she told the graduates.

“And I'm coming after those potholes. I'm telling you right now, those potholes are toast. We are coming after you.” — Joseph Spector

FROM CITY HALL

COVID UPDATE: The Adams administration has downgraded New York City’s Covid-19 risk status from “high” to “medium,” officials announced this afternoon.

The change came after a drop in hospitalizations due to the virus: The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said about 240 out of 100,000 New Yorkers are testing positive for Covid, and fewer than 10 are being hospitalized.

So far this year, the city has delivered more than 55,000 courses of the medication Paxlovid and 33 million at-home tests to those infected, the officials added in a press release announcing the news.

“Day after day, New Yorkers are stepping up and doing their part, and because of our collective efforts we are winning the fight against Covid-19,” the mayor and Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said in a joint statement. “Testing, vaccinations, treatments, and masking have been vital tools to keep people alive and out of the hospital. But we know there remains no greater defense against this virus than vaccination, which is why we’re pleased that young children are now eligible for the protection they deserve, and can’t wait to begin under-5 vaccination tomorrow.” — Sally Goldenberg

ADAMS ON HEALTHY EATING: Adams brushed off criticisms of the city’s healthy eating initiatives and school budget cuts as he spoke to reporters after a breakfast with members of the New York congressional delegation.

“This mission is political suicide,” he said. “Every time I take away a hot dog, I lose a vote.” The mayor, a vegan known to sometimes eat fish, has positioned himself as a strong advocate of healthy living. His initiatives to improve nutrition in the nation’s largest school system have led to a mixed reception, sparking dismay from some students and teachers over the quality of food in his Vegan Fridays school lunch program.

Pressed on the issue of unappetizing lunches, Adams leaned on a familiar story of overcoming his own diabetes diagnosis through a begrudging change in diet. “My food was so terrible, until I said, let me learn how to cook. I never knew how to cook, and now I have 100 different meals that I prepare,” he said. “Yes, the first way, people are going to say, ‘Okay, I’m not getting my tastebuds.’ But you’re making a transformation of your tastebuds.”

The breakfast came as part of a national convening at Gracie Mansion ahead of a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health — the first held in more than 50 years, slated to take place in September.

Adams pointed to disparities in access to healthy food and again turned to his own battle with diabetes while delivering remarks. “Right now, in this city, there’s an Eric Adams walking into a doctor’s office who’s being told you’re going to lose your sight; who’s being told you’re going to lose some fingers and toes; who’s being told that you have to go on dialysis; who’s being told that you have chronic heart disease,” the mayor said. “If we get this right, we’re going to turn those diagnoses around.” — Julian Shen-Berro and Amanda Eisenberg

ON THE BEATS

REAL ESTATE: Rising mortgage rates did little to slow New York’s hot housing market, according to a report today from the New York State Association of Realtors.

While the monthly average on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped from 4.98 percent in April 2022 to 5.23 percent in May — the first time it went over 5 percent since 2010 — median sales prices continued to climb, the group said.

The median sales price in New York rose from $355,000 in May 2021 to $480,000 last month — a 35 percent increase, which marked the 25th consecutive month that home prices rose in the state.

Closed sales were up 12 percent in May compared to the previous year, while pending sales dropped 3 percent and new listings also fell by nearly 5 percent, according to the association. The group said that inventory of homes for sale in New York continues to be a concern: declining 18 percent from 43,458 homes available in May 2021 to 35,573 units last month. — Joseph Spector

EDUCATION: Bronx Community College is teaming with New York Presbyterian Hospital to increase the number of internships for students enrolled in the college's Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) program. Graduates who participate in the program work in clinical labs and use analytic instruments to assist doctors with treating, diagnosing and preventing disease.

The hospital will accept Bronx Community College MLT students as interns in their clinical labs. Dr. Diane P. Banks, the program’s director, said an MLT graduate can earn a salary ranging from $58,000 to $77,000 annually and that through a pilot program with financial aid, eligible students are paid $17 an hour for up to 25 hours a week to complete the internship. “This partnership has increased our ability to accept up to 32 students into our MLT program each semester,” Banks said in a statement. “The hospital was impressed with our excellent, rigorous program.” — Madina Touré

GRANT LAND: More than a dozen addiction treatment providers will receive a total of nearly $3.5 million to develop Comprehensive Integrated Outpatient Treatment programs, a new initiative designed to address the ongoing need for comprehensive treatment in New York, Hochul announced today. The funding, provided through the federal Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Block Grant Supplemental Award, will allow 14 providers to either combine existing opioid treatment programs and outpatient programs or to develop new programs that provide integrated services.

Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said "the comprehensive approach offered by these new facilities will help address some of the barriers that people may face when seeking treatment.” Hochul added that it’s vital that administration officials “continue our work to support comprehensive programs that expand access to care and resources for New Yorkers and their families who need it most.”

The funds can be used for various purposes, including building renovations, new equipment, training and staff salaries. They will be administered by OASAS. — Shannon Young

The Campaign Trail

FINAL GOP GOV DEBATE: The four Republican candidates for governor will make their final appeals on the debate stage tonight at 8 p.m in Rochester.

Businessman Harry Wilson, Rep. Lee Zeldin, former White House adviser Andrew Giuliani and former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino will participate in the last TV debate, hosted by Newsmax, before the June 28 primary.

The first two debates had similar themes: Zeldin is the aggressor, particularly going after Wilson as a “Never Trumper,” and the other candidates fighting back or simply trying to distinguish themselves from the challengers.

And it’ll be interesting to see if the tenor shifts with the debate set to be nationally televised on the conservative news channel. Wilson is the only candidate who has sought to distance himself from former President Donald Trump, saying last night, for example that, yes, Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

"People across New York are hungry to learn about the Republican candidates as they make their choice in this critical primary," Chris Ruddy, Newsmax CEO, said in a statement . "Newsmax is glad to be actively involved across the nation in a series of debate and town hall events to further voter awareness." — Joseph Spector

AROUND NEW YORK

— A Staten Island man has been charged with assault for attacking a 72-year-old baseball umpire in Branchburg, N.J., earlier this month.

— Orange County wants $100,000 from the state to study the feasibility of a new convention and civic center.

— A federal probe into fraudulent voting in Rensselaer County is focusing on a Republican elections commissioner.

— The state will pay up to $29 million to demolish the old Syracuse Developmental Center, clearing the way for a new project expected to create 400 jobs.

— Brooklyn-bound commuters are not happy with the Long Island Rail Road’s planned schedule changes to accommodate the East Side Access project.

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