New York’s biggest political power couples of the past 20 years

What makes a couple a power couple? As in any relationship, both parties have to bring something to the table – and in this case, that something is political clout. It’s never fully equal, of course. One half of a power couple may be the marquee name, the one opening doors for the other. In other cases, partners amass influence in separate arenas, and casual observers may not be aware of any romantic or marital ties. In still other cases, the two parties may have very similar jobs – or even take turns in the exact same job.

As City & State celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, we set out to publish the definitive list of the 10 most powerful power couples in New York politics and government over the past two decades. This 20-person rundown highlights the collective power of each couple (even if they’re no longer in power – or no longer an item!) over any period from 2006 to the present.

David Banks & Sheena Wright 

When Eric Adams took office as New York City mayor, he installed members of his inner circle in key roles – including David Banks (schools chancellor) and Sheena Wright (deputy mayor for strategic initiatives, later first deputy mayor).  Shortly after they got married, both resigned in 2024 amid federal investigations into City Hall, but neither were charged with any crimes.

Charles Barron & Inez Barron

With the Barrons, it wasn’t just Charles in charge. The Black radical activists Charles and Inez Barron occupied East New York’s seats in the New York City Council and the Assembly for over a decade, even swapping places twice, up until the early 2020s. Charles Barron, an outspoken former Black Panther, also ran for Congress in 2012, losing to a rising star named Hakeem Jeffries.

Mike Bloomberg & Diana Taylor 

Mike Bloomberg is the big name in this relationship, as the billionaire business executive who launched his eponymous company before serving three terms as mayor of the nation’s biggest city. Yet Diana Taylor, Bloomberg’s longtime girlfriend, knew her way around money too, serving as the state’s top banking regulator from 2003 to 2007.

Hillary Rodham Clinton & Bill Clinton 

Hillary Rodham Clinton never matched her husband’s feat of being elected president, but in New York at least she was the superior political force. She represented the state in the U.S. Senate from 2001 to 2009 before moving back to Washington, D.C., as secretary of state. In 2001, Bill Clinton established the Clinton Foundation, with a headquarters in Harlem.

Bill de Blasio & Chirlane McCray

Bill de Blasio climbed the political ladder from the New York City Council to public advocate to leading City Hall, where he served two terms as mayor. His wife, Chirlane McCray, who drove the administration’s mental health policy, was “likely the most influential, if not consequential, first lady in the city’s history,” as The New York Times described her role.

Kathy Hochul & Bill Hochul

Over more than four decades of marriage, Kathy and Bill Hochul have risen to the pinnacle of their respective professions in New York. Bill Hochul was U.S. attorney for the Western District of New York from 2010 to 2016, the culmination of nearly 30 years with the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2011, Kathy Hochul went from Erie County clerk to Congress, where she served less than a single term. She returned to elected office as lieutenant governor, then ascended to the governorship in 2021.

Jeff Klein & Diane Savino

For much of the 2010s, the Independent Democratic Conference played an outsized role in state politics, especially when it formed a power-sharing agreement with state Senate Republicans. Founding members Jeff Klein, the IDC’s leader, and Diane Savino formed their own romantic alliance as well, affectionately known as “Klavino.”

Chuck Schumer & Iris Weinshall

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington, D.C., and he has an outside shot at retaking his role as Senate majority leader after the fall elections. Iris Weinshall, who married Schumer in 1980, is a quiet force back home in New York City. The city’s former Department of Transportation commissioner is now chief operating officer at the New York Public Library and chair of the Prospect Park Alliance.

Maria Torres-Springer & Jamie Torres-Springer

Maria Torres-Springer resigned as New York City’s first deputy mayor last year after the Trump administration controversially moved to drop a corruption case against then-Mayor Eric Adams. The veteran bureaucrat is now president of the Charles H. Revson Foundation and recently co-chaired Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s transition committee. Her husband, Jamie Torres-Springer, has overseen the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s multibillion-dollar capital plan since 2021 as president of MTA Construction & Development.

Randi Weingarten & Sharon Kleinbaum

Randi Weingarten has served since 2008 as the president of the American Federation of Teachers, a powerful labor union with 1.8 million members. The former United Federation of Teachers leader remains a force in New York. In 2018, she married Sharon Kleinbaum, senior rabbi emerita at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, which is known for supporting the LGBTQ+ community.