The city’s real estate developers could provide a significant boost to any of the mayoral hopefuls, so several candidates mingled with New York’s power brokers at the Real Estate Board of New York’s 117th annual dinner at the swanky New York Hilton on Thursday night. Mayor Michael Bloomberg made a brief appearance before trotting down the street to meet Anderson Cooper at CNN for an interview, but former MTA Chairman Joe Lhota, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and former City Comptroller Bill Thompson all stopped by… [More]

A divided state Senate spent its first day of session debating the merits of a package of new gun laws that would tighten restrictions on assault weapons, before passing it late Monday night in a 43-18 vote. It was the first bill passed under the body’s new power sharing agreement, though it was unclear to some lawmakers who was actually in charge. “It doesn’t matter,” said Temporary Co-President Jeff Klein, a Democrat who shares control of the Senate with Republican… [More]

City & State’s 2012 Year-End Awards… [More]

By Peter Rugg State Sen. Martin Golden and Andrew Gounardes, whose battle for Golden’s state Senate seat comes to a close today, can at least agree that voter turnout was through the roof, even if they cannot agree on the reasons. Rallying voters at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge, both men expressed confidence the long lines meant good things for their platform. “I think a lot of it is the (electoral district) lines changing,” Sen. Golden said as… [More]

The New York World‘s Nathaniel Herz reports:   State Sen. Marty Golden mixed last-minute campaigning with relief work in Gerritsen Beach in Brooklyn. Inside a poll site at P.S. 277, Golden strolled past voters and shook hands, while an aide distributed fliers advertising FEMA assistance. As a representative of one of New York City’s most storm-battered neighborhoods, Golden said he was splitting his Election Day work between getting out the vote, and getting out the help needed by his constituents.… [More]

This morning the New York League of Conservation Voters will unveil six state Senate candidates that the environmental group is supporting in a strategic effort to elect lawmakers who will vote for green-friendly legislation. The NYLCV will spend up to $200,000 in total on its “Six Pack for the Environment,” which includes four Democratic candidates—Assemblyman George Latimer, Ted O’Brien, Cecilia Tkaczyk and Justin Wagner—and two Republican incumbents, Sen. Marty Golden and Sen. Mark Grisanti. “Let’s face it, we don’t have all the resources in the world, so you… [More]

Ted O’Brien, the Democratic candidate running for retiring state Sen. James Alesi’s seat, has secured 1199 SEIU’s endorsement in his race against Republican Assemblyman Sean Hanna. “I’m honored to accept the endorsement of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East,” O’Brien, a Monroe County legislator, said in a statement. “I’m excited to work alongside them in raising the minimum wage, creating jobs for unemployed New Yorkers and growing our state’s middle class.” 1199’s backing of O’Brien adds to the candidate’s growing list of endorsements from… [More]

Three weeks ago, when news of Brooklyn Republican State Sen. Marty Golden’s now-infamous “feminine presence” seminar first broke, a group almost immediately formed to “bum rush” the July 24 event at Bay Ridge Manor – and promised to bring along, “go-go Dancers” and “burlesque acts” to mock the senator. Apparently, the passage of time (and the event’s quick cancellation) have diminished some of the initial outrage. At a protest held instead in front of Golden’s Bay Ridge office last evening… [More]

The congressional primaries brought us plenty of sizzling races in late June, and the summer heat didn’t slow things down in early July, as campaigns picked up speed and politicians and government officials notched key victories or made newsworthy gaffes. Here’s a recap of who’s up and who’s down—and who our readers voted the biggest winners and losers. Go to cityandstateny.com each week to vote.… [More]

The best items from The Notebook, City & State’s political blog City & State’s political blog, The Notebook, is your key source for political and campaign developments in New York. Stay on top of the news with items like these  at www.cityandstateny.com/thenotebook. 1. BROOKLYN Have we stumbled into an episode of Mad Men? Republican State Sen. Marty Golden’s office planned a career-development event this month for women in his district to teach them “Posture, Deportment and the Feminine Presence.” The… [More]