Albany was rocked this week by Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes’ announcement that she won’t seek re-election, capping a wave of nearly 20 state legislators heading for the exits. On this episode of From the Lobby, host Joanna Pasceri sits down with Jack O’Donnell, managing partner of O’Donnell & Associates, to unpack what Peoples-Stokes’ departure means for Western New York and Assembly leadership, why so many veteran lawmakers are walking away, where the late state budget actually stands, and how to read two contradictory polls on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s first 100 days.
Joanna Pasceri
Another week and some big shifts you might not have seen coming. A top leader in Albany is stepping aside. Why are longtime lawmakers heading for the exits and the budget still crawling? Hi everybody. Welcome back to From the Lobby with Jack O’Donnell. Joining us, as always, is Jack O’Donnell, managing partner of O’Donnell & Associates. He’s tracking the movement and the lack of it. Jack, good to have you back from the lobby.
Jack O’Donnell
Great to be with you, Joanna.
Joanna Pasceri
Let’s start with some big news. Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes says she won’t run for re-election. She’s been one of the most powerful voices in the Assembly. What does her departure mean for Assembly leadership and for the Western New York community she represented for more than 20 years?
Jack O’Donnell
Look, I understand why she’s going and that it’s time, but man, as you know, I’ve been a big fan of Crystal Peoples-Stokes for her entire career. I got to know her when she was a county legislator, worked on her congressional campaign and supported her first Assembly run where she lost but exceeded expectations. And then she has just always been a force to be reckoned with. I spend a lot of time with different elected officials and sometimes they just can’t help themselves. They like to hear themselves talk. But Crystal’s always been a listener. As a result, when she does talk, people listen. And you’ve seen those results both in the state and what they’ve delivered in Buffalo and Western New York over that time.
Crystal has influenced the statewide and the national conversation. The first thing that comes to mind is marijuana where she basically single-handedly turned the state’s position around and helped get that done in a way that had a focus on equity. And while the program and the rollout has had some problems, she’s just been an incredible leader and we’re gonna miss her. Just amazing to me how much respect and esteem she is held by her colleagues in the Assembly from every corner of the state. I think it’s a big loss to us in Western New York, but also to the Assembly. She’ll be missed.
Joanna Pasceri
Have there been any names circulating as far as replacing her as Majority Leader?
Jack O’Donnell
Not officially. And I think this process will play out over the next six months. At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to Speaker Carl Heastie and who he wants as his top partner in government. He and Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes have just been really, really close and really effective together. A few of the names that we’ve heard bandied about: there’s Assemblymember Pam Hunter from Syracuse, who I think very highly of. She’s now the president pro tem. We worked with her a lot on insurance issues when she was chair there. Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman from Queens, who’s the chair of the Higher Education Committee, also just very well respected. We’ve had her in Buffalo and Rochester and Syracuse over the last couple years to meet people. Michelle Solages from Long Island, who’s also the chair of the Black, Puerto Rican and Latino Caucus, is well respected. We’re doing a bill with her this year. Those are three of the names that immediately spring to mind. They’re all very strong leaders with powerful voices and great allies of the Speaker. But this is really a campaign that’ll play out behind closed doors because at the end of the day, it’s the Speaker’s choice.
Joanna Pasceri
We’ve recently seen a number of longtime, influential politicians announce their exits. In fact, nearly 20 state legislators have said they’re not going to run for re-election this year. So what’s behind the exodus and what do you think it will mean to have so many fresh faces come next year in the legislature?
Jack O’Donnell
Look, I think broadly, it’s just no fun anymore. I think between the social media world that we live in, the hyper partisanship, we’re in another late budget year where, frankly, most of the members can’t do anything but sit around and wait until the leaders make some deals. I think that’s become less fun. The hyper partisanship means that there is much less incentive, in fact, a disincentive to try to really solve problems or find middle ground. A lot of these folks are people who’ve been there a while and really grew up or came of age politically in an age where you sat down and talked to people. And there’s a lot less of that. And the kind of vitriol you get from people hiding behind Twitter names or amplified by bots and other online things, it’s become pretty tough and sometimes just less fun.
So I think it’s some of that and some of it’s just, it’s time for some of these folks. And then underneath, there are some specific members who really are leaving because of the outside income ban on the legislature that’s supposed to come in. A few of those folks are lawyers and have other professions and do work outside of their jobs in the legislature, and that’s gonna be capped. And I think they’ve made their choice clear.
Joanna Pasceri
Now to the budget. You talked about another extender passed. Talks feel slow even by Albany standards. Is any progress being made?
Jack O’Donnell
Well, the short answer, Joanna, is no, really. At least it doesn’t feel like that. And when there is progress, often those leaders take it back to their conferences and talk about it. We’re not seeing any of that. We’re not hearing any of it. I spent some time at the Capitol earlier this week and even around the passing of the extender, folks were in and out and there’s just not a lot happening. It really feels stalled.
Joanna Pasceri
We’re hearing there’s a bit of a consensus, very small, on Governor Hochul’s climate revisions, but her plan to reform auto insurance basically on pause.
Jack O’Donnell
I think you’re right. There are a lot of members that are broadly resigned to some of the changes on climate. Some of them are in agreement with her about pushing some of those things off. But the devil is in the details there, and I don’t think the details are worked out. So still some room to go. And auto insurance has become the big fight right now. Really powerful voices on both sides. Trial lawyers, insurance companies. A lot of the pushback is coming from the legislature who are saying if there are savings, will they go to ratepayers, will they go to New Yorkers? Are we just transferring wealth from trial lawyers to insurance executives? I don’t know that anyone is interested in doing that.
So I think there’s a long way to go here. The governor is building a coalition around her changes and building out the support for that, to try and put some heat on the legislature. Today she’s doing a roundtable on it. They have other folks out from the cabinet doing some of the same stuff. So far, it hasn’t moved a lot of folks. So they’ll have to find a way to either turn up that heat or we’re in for a long wait.
Joanna Pasceri
Turning to New York City, before we let you go, Jack, a new Marist College poll shows Mayor Zohran Mamdani getting strong marks at his 100-day mark. Positive ratings and more people saying the city is headed in the right direction. But then a day later, an Emerson poll showed that the majority think the city is headed in the wrong direction. So what’s your takeaway?
Jack O’Donnell
My big takeaway is always, not to repeat myself, but the devil is in the details here. And polls, we talk about them as snapshots in time, but these are the same time. So you’ve got to dive into them and see, how did they ask the question? Was it a leading question? What are the pool of folks? Are they voters? Is it more heavily young, old? I think the difference is in those demographics and kind of who they’re asking and how people feel. But that’s why all of these things, you gotta take ’em with a grain of salt.
I was polled this week clearly by some folks who were against the governor’s climate changes, with questions like, if you knew someone had weakened the law, would you be more likely or less likely to vote for them? Well, of course we know what the answer’s gonna be when you phrase it that way. So a lot to be taken here. But I think what you’re also seeing is just the volatility of the world and of New York City. Some young people much happier with Mamdani than maybe some older folks.
Joanna Pasceri
We’ll be watching for more insight in the next Monday Morning Memo. Jack, thanks again, great to be with you from the lobby. Big exits, slow budgets and signs of political change. We’re on it and we’ll keep you posted as things unfold. For a quick, clear read each week, catch Jack’s Monday Morning Memo, the latest in politics and government all in one spot, right in your inbox. To sign up, just head to our website at odonnellsolutions.com. Thanks for listening everyone. We’ll see you next time from the lobby with Jack O’Donnell.
