This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Even before he won an Assembly seat last year, there were whispers that Micah Lasher was heir apparent to Rep. Jerry Nadler. That became more apparent this week when Nadler announced he would not seek reelection and Lasher filed to run for Congress, with Nadler’s chief of staff doubling as Lasher’s campaign treasurer. But Lasher can’t expect a coronation; the primary fight for this open House seat on the Upper West Side will feature plenty of pretenders to the throne.

The trial of the alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, a potentially career-making prosecution for Suffolk Count District Attorney Ray Tierney, hinged on the admissibility of key DNA evidence. But it wasn’t a given the evidence would be accepted, since investigators relied on advanced genome sequencing never before used or permitted in a New York court. But a precedent-setting ruling from a state judge means that DNA is officially in. No one’s popping champagne bottles yet, but Tierney must be feeling relief at the ruling.

Just in time for first period! Newburgh School Superintendent Jackielyn Manning Campbell was reinstated after a nine-month suspension following unspecified allegations that led to an investigation. And it didn’t end with Campbell getting her job back and all charges being dropped; the school board also voted 5-4 to reimburse her for legal fees.

In a bid to keep Zohran Mamdani out of Gracie Mansion, Jim Walden decided to be the bigger candidate and drop out of the race for mayor in hopes that all five of his voters would go to someone with a better shot at beating Mamdani. Unfortunately, the potential nobility of Walden’s loserdom was overtaken by news that Trump was actively trying to clear the field for Andrew Cuomo. Bad timing for Walden, who has been touting this unity plan for months.

Sometimes even a project with an objectively awesome, cool name like Innovation QNS doesn’t make it to the finish line. Farewell, Innovation! You brought such intrigue, such drama, such promise of thousands and thousands of units of badly needed housing. Silverstein Properties, led by Lisa Silverstein, reportedly pulled the plug on the controversial project this week because they were skittish about the 485-x tax break. Best of luck with your casino bid!

With federal receivership looming and little progress made on building the borough-based jails intended to replace Rikers Island by 2027, is it ever a great week for the city’s troubled jails? Probably not, though this last week was another particularly rough stretch for Department of Correction Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie. To put it plainly, five people died in city custody over the past two weeks – nearly half the total for the entire year.