New York's fiscal frontier in an election year: Looking at the state of New York with Susan Arbetter

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is talking tough when it comes to President Donald Trump, but also pushing back against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who wants Hochul and the legislature to raise taxes on the wealthy. Joining NY1's Errol Louis to discuss where New York state is headed in 2026 is Susan Arbetter, the host of Spectrum News' nightly upstate political program "Capital Tonight."  They talked about Hochul and Mamdani's push for universal child care, a possible nuclear power plant expansion, and the repurposing of closed prisons in the Adirondack Park. 

This week, Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her fifth State of the State address, highlighting her accomplishments and laying out her plans for this election year. Newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was on hand for her address as he begins working to fulfill his campaign promises, many of which will require support from Albany. Nicole Gelinas, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor at City Journal, joined NY1's Errol Louis to analyze Hochul's address and assess Mamdani's first few weeks in office. They also discussed what to expect from both elected officials in 2026, the political position Hochul occupies as she tries to get reelected and where Mamdani's focus should be in the year ahead.

One of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first appointments after being sworn in was Cea Weaver, the director of the Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants. Weaver is a longtime tenant organizer and the executive director of Housing Justice for All, an organization that works to strengthen tenant organizing, advance pro-tenant legislation, and elect tenants and their allies to public office. She also served as a policy adviser to Mamdani's mayoral campaign and is a frequent spokesperson in local, state and national media. But the appointment has drawn criticism after past tweets by Weaver about homeownership and white supremacy resurfaced. Weaver joined Errol Louis to discuss her new role and her plans to advocate for renters amid what the administration has declared a housing emergency. She outlined two early priorities for the office: intervening in court proceedings to protect rent-stabilized tenants affected by the bankrupt landlord Pinnacle Realty Group, and addressing non-rent fees that she says place an additional financial burden on tenants. She also responded to the backlash over her past remarks describing homeownership as "a weapon of white supremacy."

In a day of firsts at City Hall, Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City's 112th mayor in front of a large crowd of supporters. Now officially holding what's often called "the second toughest job in America," Mamdani faces a daunting set of challenges. NY1 investigative reporter Courtney Gross, political reporter Bobby Cuza and political anchor Errol Louis look back on a monumental New Year's Day and what this new era could mean for New York City. Editor's note: We misattributed Eric Adams' elevator comments to a lightning-round question from a mayoral debate. It actually came from Nayeema Raza's "Smart Girl Dumb Questions" podcast episode featuring Adams.

Almost 55 years ago, Bella Abzug entered Congress, quickly emerging as a fierce champion of women's and minority rights and forging powerful alliances with fellow New York trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm and Elizabeth Holtzman. In part two of this Spectrum News NY1 series, Errol Louis examines Abzug's relentless work ethic and major legislative achievements, including the Child Care Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as well as her early and outspoken support for gay rights. The episode also explores her toughest political battles—from her failed U.S. Senate run and mayoral campaign to her central role in the movement to impeach President Richard Nixon. Finally, the series traces Abzug's enduring influence on modern progressive politics and her global advocacy for women's rights.

From Mississippi to Beijing to the halls of Congress, Bella Abzug battled injustice her entire life. Known for her trademark hats and fearless style, Abzug helped reshape New York politics and the national women's movement. In part one of this two-part podcast series from Spectrum News NY1, Errol Louis traces Abzug's early life from her path to Columbia Law School to her work as a civil rights attorney and anti-war activist. The episode explores her role in defending African American civil rights, her leadership in a leading women's peace group and the frustrations that ultimately pushed her to run for Congress in 1970 — when she was 50 years old and ready to upend the political establishment.

The race for governor is already stealing the political spotlight in New York with competitive primaries looming for both the Democratic and Republican parties. Running for reelection, Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing a primary challenge from Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. Republicans will also have a primary on their hands with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announcing this week that he's entering the governor's race, setting up a GOP primary challenge against Rep. Elise Stefanik, who represents an upstate district in Congress. So, as we look ahead to 2026, what should we expect? NY1 statehouse reporter Bernadette Hogan and Politico Albany Bureau Chief Nick Reisman joined NY1's Errol Louis to break down the current landscape of New York state politics, revisiting Hochul's 2022 victory, her standing heading into the next election and the potential challenges she faces. The conversation also explored the dynamics shaping Hochul's relationship with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, along with the legislative pressures and political crosscurrents that could complicate her path to reelection.

With antisemitism on the rise, NY1's Errol Louis sat down with Yair Rosenberg, a journalist at The Atlantic who is the author of its newsletter "Deep Shtetl," which explores the intersection of politics, culture and religion. Rosenberg has written extensively about antisemitism in America, the historical context behind it and its troubling resurgence today. In the conversation, Rosenberg also examined the role social media platforms play in spreading extremist views, as well as the generational divides in attitudes toward Jewish people.  Finally, they discussed the challenges facing New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani as he navigates issues related to Israel and Judaism.

House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined NY1's Errol Louis for an exclusive one-on-one interview, discussing last week's surprisingly cordial meeting between President Donald Trump and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, as well as the recent news that a federal judge dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York state Attorney General Letitia James. Jeffries also talked about the future of the Democratic Party, the city's affordability crisis and how he's crafting a plan for Democrats to retake the House next year.

While Zohran Mamdani will be the youngest mayor in more than 125 years, his top strategist is even younger — 26-year-old Morris Katz. Katz joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss Mamdani's historic win, reflecting on the campaign's digital strategy to meet younger voters in one of their favorite hangouts: social media. He also spoke about the tactics used by Andrew Cuomo's campaign and their impact on the Jewish community. And finally, Katz offered a critique of the broader political consulting industry, saying it lacks authenticity and accountability.