Personality
2025 Winners & Losers of the Year: Special Awards
Who got stabbed in the back and who was just trying to make a friend?
Winnie Greco’s bribe in a potato chip bag was one of the unbelievable moments of New York politics in 2025. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
City & State’s 2025 Winners & Losers of the Year were selected – as they are every year – after much deliberation. In those discussions, many New York politicos arise as possible honorees, and in a year as wild and wacky as 2025, there was a lot to talk about. But with only five winners and five losers, many other people fell off the final list. Here are this year’s special awards, recognizing those who didn’t quite win 2025, but maybe didn’t lose 2025 either.
AI slop we ate up: “Let’s Go With Eric Adams”
Why was half of this AI song in French? Does Eric Adams lead “with a vision so true”? It doesn’t matter, because the “hopeful sound” of this jam left us inspired.
AI slop we threw up: @CityDeskNYC
Tweet anything remotely related to the New York City mayoral race and CityDesk is going to be in the replies bashing Zohran Mamdani. We get that a Canadian guy is trying to sell this AI service, but no one needs to tweet 150,000 times.
Priciest cameo: Ingrid Lewis-Martin
She may have only had one line, but her appearance on “Godfather of Harlem” alongside Forest Whitaker could be part of what costs Ingrid Lewis-Martin her freedom after being charged with corruption.
Honorable mention: George Santos
Second-worst failed comeback of the year: Anthony Weiner
It was not a great year for scandal-scarred men in New York politics. Wait, did something good actually happen in 2025?
“Et tu, Brute?” Award: Alicia Vaichunas
New York City Council District 30 Republican nominee Alicia Vaichunas made it clear who she believes betrayed her: Bob Holden. “I had somebody’s back for eight years who put knives in my back,” she said in her election night speech. A Shakespearean tragedy.
Well, well, well, it’s not so easy to find an LG who doesn’t suck shit award: Brian Benjamin
Former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin’s indictment that forced his exit from office was fully dropped this year. Meanwhile, his successor, Antonio Delgado, is primarying the governor, lost his office and isn’t able to do much official LG work. But maybe the best revenge is to live well.
Zohran Mamdani Award for Excellence in Political Advertising: Brad Lander
The mayor-elect may have gotten much of the glory when it comes to virality, but we cannot get the image of Brad Lander eating a hot dog on the Cyclone out of our heads.
First Blood Award: Kathy Hochul
Gov. Kathy Hochul has been finding her groove in standing up to the Trump administration, and her role model is … Rambo? “But once you draw first blood on us, we’re coming back hard,” she said about potential federal intervention. If Hochul campaigns as the Sylvester Stallone movie catalog next year, she’ll win with dictator-like margins.
Look Up Award for Screen Time Heroics: Frankie Focus
Unshackled from the algorithm, the children are learning again!
Living Rent-Free Award: Chris Sommerfeldt
Eric Adams has had his foils as New York City mayor: Brad Lander, Curt Menefee, rats. But no one may have gotten under his skin like Daily News reporter Chris Sommerfeldt. He temporarily banned Sommerfeldt from press conferences, claiming he was “disruptive.” And Adams recently called him “a dark, sick person.” Maybe Adams should ask for a refund on his Donald Trump media training classes.
The Quote GOAT: Curtis Sliwa
From “slapping fannies and killing grannies” to “every parade has the right to exist,” New York City Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa lit up the internet throughout the campaign.
Honorable mention: Eric Adams
Excellence in Friendship Award, brought to you by Herr’s: Winnie Greco
Handing an envelope of cash directly to one of New York City’s most dogged reporters would be one thing, but stuffing it first into a potato chip bag is truly inspired. As Greco said, “I just wanted to be her friend.”
Up Your Butt Award for Most Memorable TV Appearance: Tom Homan
Trump’s border czar said three words on “Fox & Friends” that humiliated himself, New York City, Eric Adams and everyone watching.
Faith Restored Award: Danielle Sassoon
It turns out some people still have integrity: Danielle Sassoon, then-acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, chose to resign rather than heed President Donald Trump’s demands to drop the federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams without prejudice.
In Her “Reputation” Era Award: Jessica Ramos
Listen to “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift and tell us it’s not the perfect metaphor for the arc that state Sen. Jessica Ramos has been on since she bizarrely endorsed Andrew Cuomo for mayor. The question now is, will Ramos, like Swift, rise from the dead?
Squeaky Wheel Award for Success in Advocacy: Marianne Pizzitola
What’s a political candidate’s worst nightmare? An advocacy group full of people with nothing but time to agitate. Marianne Pizzitola successfully marshaled New York City retirees to block Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to have them switched over to Medicare Advantage. Plus, the issue is now so politically toxic, future mayors may not broach the idea again.
All the News That’s Fit to Make Up Award: Jonathan Rinaldi
When Jonathan Rinaldi is covered by the media, they point out his harassment of elected officials and his lewd nickname. When Rinaldi makes up his own news using AI, he gets fake endorsements and flattering headlines. Really seems like a big difference there.
Stay In Your Lane Award: Bill Ackman
Not everyone is meant to be a political pundit. And no one should write thousands of words in a single tweet. When billionaire Bill Ackman was wrong at virtually every turn of the New York City mayoral race, no one took greater pleasure in that than Curtis Sliwa, who coined this gem.