Dispatches from Planet Albany

The decision by Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris not to run for re-election in 2026 could have a dramatic impact on the faces in state senate leadership. And not just on the government side, as he was also head of the Senate Democrat's political arm.

Tusk Strategies Partner Shontell Plummer, who used to work closely with Gianaris in her previous life, discusses the internal roles held by the Queens Democrat for more than a decade and considers what might happen with his posts.

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Redistricting is traditionally supposed to be on the menu once a decade, but it has become a recurring staple in New York, where Democrats are exploring options to redraw congressional lines before 2032.

Host David Lombardo breaks down the potential outcomes from a court case challenging the NY-11 boundaries with the help of Jeff Wice, a senior fellow and distinguished adjunct professor with the New York Law School's Census and Redistricting Institute. He also discusses the outstanding constitutional amendment to rewrite New York's redistricting process and an effort to get an early start on the Census count for 2030.

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Wednesday was a big day for Gov. Kathy Hochul's election campaign. The incumbent Democrat identified former NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her running mate and almost immediately lost the support of the Brooklyn Democratic Committee as a result. Then it was leaked out that NYC Mayora Zohran Mamdani would be endorsing her re-election.

To understand all of these Big Apple based developments we checked in with Jeff Coltin, the editor-in-chief for City & State New York.

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Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani have largely been able to paper over their ideological differences, but the financial situation in the Big Apple could test that dynamic.

Host David Lombardo and Tusk Strategies Partner Shontell Plummer consider whether the mayor and governor's unholy alliance can withstand this public disagreement and if the ultimate outcome is increasing taxes or some other solution to fund New York City's budget.

We also reflect on how interest groups in Albany had to change their lobbying approach when the state Senate flipped hands in 2019 and how much influence the trial lawyers still have at the Capitol.

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Assemblymember Brian Cunningham's public profile has gone up a notch or two since making a short list of running mates for Gov. Kathy Hochul, but the Brooklyn Democrat is still far from a household name (even among Albany insiders).

So host David Lombardo sat down with Cunningham in the studio at the Capitol to discuss his background (he interned with Sen. Kevin Parker), whether he's been vetted for the LG role (he hasn't), and the untold story behind his first name (you'll have to listen for that one).

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Host David Lombardo and Lighthouse Public Affairs founder Chapin Fay handicap the odds for the contenders to be Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's running mate on the Republican ticket to win the executive mansion in Albany.

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Because a reunion between Gov. Kathy Hochul and her number two, Antonio Delgado, is unlikely, she'll be running with a new lieutenant governor candidate in 2026. But who?

The Dispatches from Planet Albany number crunchers have run the odds on a variety of options and host David Lombardo has The Parkside Group Vice President Alex Elmasri assess whether the lines should be higher or lower.

They cover some of the frontrunners, names that would be good choices, and a couple jokes. You decide which is which.

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The highlights from Gov. Kathy Hochul's budget have permeated the consciousness of Planet Albany, but what about the other tasty morsels from the fine print?

Host David Lombardo and Capitol Confidential author Dan Clark share some parts of the executive proposal that they think have been underappreciated, including new fees on lobbyists while cutting funding for the ethics watchdog and giving retroactive subsidies to New York City's theater productions.

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Gov. Kathy Hochul is planning to propose a budget that makes major investments into child care, increase spending on education and boosts the state's commitment for health care, but without raising taxes.

How does that math work?

We consider how Hochul and her budget team will make the numbers add up in her executive proposal with the help of Rockefeller Institute of Government President Bob Megna. The former budget director talks about the state's recent cash reports, which show revenues dramatically exceeding expectations, and considers how reserves might address future ambiguity.

Then we have another episode of "Know your Politicos," with state Sen. Andrew Gounardes, a Brooklyn Democrat, squaring off against Assemblyman Alex Bores, a Manhattan Democrat.

Nearly five years since the legalization of marijuana in New York and the effort to standup a recreational marketplace is still facing challenges.

To discuss some of the recent headaches, including leadership turnover at the state's marijuana regulator, and some ideas for addressing the illegal products ending up on shelves in New York, we spoke with Herb Barbot, the former director of operations at the state Office of Cannabis Management and now the chair of the Empire State Green Standard Alliance.

Then we have another episode of "Know Your Politicos," with an internal Marathon Strategies competition between Matt Hamilton and Liz Benjamin.

And don't forget to assemble your state lawmakers for the 2026 Planet Albany Fantasy Lawmaker League. Make your selections by 5 pm on Jan. 16 and follow along to see who is the all-knowing expert on the legislative process.