IMO there are basically two tiers of how malignant the NYC Dem establishment is.
Tier 1 (most sinister): Bloomberg, Julie Menin, Scott Stringer, Dan Goldman.
Tier 2 (still establishment, but less malevolent): Mark Levine, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Kathy Hochul, and I think Micah Lasher.
The saving grace is that Lasher seems firmly Tier 2. His Mamdani endorsement tweet is the proof. You simply can’t imagine Julie Menin writing something like that. Goldman refused to endorse Zohran even though his district is much more left-wing, and Bloomberg funded those vile ads targeting him.
Tier 2 may still be the establishment, but they don’t give off the same dark, vindictive energy as someone like Julie Menin.
Great article that aligns quite closely with my thoughts. As someone who lives just a block away from the NYCHA complex that is supposed to be redeveloped, Bores has been aligning himself with the rich NIMBY organizers here who oppose it.
I think it’s a cynical ploy for votes rather than him actually being a NIMBY at heart, but that’s all the more reason not to reward it.
Also, one of my college friends who worked closely with Micah in Albany had only positive things to say about him. Sample size of one, but another item pushing me in the Lasher camp.
I think a large part of it is national capital-A Abundance pundits focused on splashy stuff like AI vs. more local folks who are more in the weeds on local issues and are largely behind Lasher
There are unsavory donors for all of the campaigns in this race. I don’t like the fact that Bores worked for Palantir either. But at the end of the day what I care most about is policy and lasher and bores seem to be 95% the same on that front with the only major distinction being that Lasher is supporting the NYCHA redevelopment in my neighborhood and Bores is functionally opposing it
I loved the article but I’m not sure I got the essence of why exactly Lasher is better than Bores? What’s the one line explanation if you were to sum it up?
Eli Baby — get w / what’s happening … { D } is so in the sewer, been a generationow …. { I } the way, the wave of the future … { D } = Down in Dumps … ML just another klone … CITI-ZENS UNITE ! U HV NO THING TO LOSE BUTT YOR PAINS ! Your Friend, H
But I am put off by your dismissal of Nina Schwalbe as a spoiler. Granted that she has no chance of winning but that's not all a vote is about. If everyone goes with the "viable" candidates, we are signalling to the machine that we are accepting the EVIL OF TWO LESSERS.
So, I may be throwing away my opportunity to choose between Bores and Lasher (who, despite your insights, I have trouble getting to a strong preference) but I am signaling encouragement to future truly progressive candidates.
It is good to raise your substantive concerns. That matters. But it sounds like you would not vote for her even if you agreed on all policy matters, which is a bad move.
It is better to vote for who you want, and not get it, than to vote for what you don't want, and get it. [Admittedly, this last line is simplistic but I couldn't resist.]
Well thought-out points. On the topic of Micah endorsing Zohran long before Alex, an interesting data pt. In the first week of July, Manhattan Dem Exec Committee met to endorse Zohran, the only district leaders who didn't vote to endorse Zohran were from the UES. So you could argue that Micah's base was more likely to move to Zohran than the Cuomo-loving UES.
AI policy seems to be a central issue in this race, so I'm curious as to why it goes unmentioned here. Is it because you think that Lasher and Bores would take the same AI policy action, despite all the evidence (their donors) to the contrary? Or that you don't think it's really an important issue for your district? It at least seems like AI policy is one place where Bores chose to take a stand in a hard fight--not just pick at low hanging fruit.
Upon reading your other post I understand why the AI policy issue shouldn't really count strongly in Bores favor, and I also see how the Leading the Future money isn't all that compromising for Lasher. I'm not a NY12 voter (bless) but I think I would choose Schwalbe. Lasher and Bores' weak positions on Israel are, to me, disqualifying in a democratic primary.
Unfortunately, the district may be to the right of Jerry on Israel, particularly post-October 7th and post-the mayoral election. That said, I am not to the right of Jerry and will nudge whichever one wins to sign on to Block the Bombs.
The Mamdani endorsement struck me at the time. He did it publicly, a few days after the primary in June, and got a lot of pushback from rabbis on the UWS. Meanwhile when Alex endorsed Mamdani in mid September, it was not at all public. I only learned about it from a Jeff Coltin tweet. It was like under cover of darkness.
But Mamdani's advisors like Morris Katz and Rebecca Katz are backing him and there were reports that Mamdani also privately backed him earlier this year.
IMO there are basically two tiers of how malignant the NYC Dem establishment is.
Tier 1 (most sinister): Bloomberg, Julie Menin, Scott Stringer, Dan Goldman.
Tier 2 (still establishment, but less malevolent): Mark Levine, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Kathy Hochul, and I think Micah Lasher.
The saving grace is that Lasher seems firmly Tier 2. His Mamdani endorsement tweet is the proof. You simply can’t imagine Julie Menin writing something like that. Goldman refused to endorse Zohran even though his district is much more left-wing, and Bloomberg funded those vile ads targeting him.
Tier 2 may still be the establishment, but they don’t give off the same dark, vindictive energy as someone like Julie Menin.
Thank you for your service in this election Eli
Great article that aligns quite closely with my thoughts. As someone who lives just a block away from the NYCHA complex that is supposed to be redeveloped, Bores has been aligning himself with the rich NIMBY organizers here who oppose it.
I think it’s a cynical ploy for votes rather than him actually being a NIMBY at heart, but that’s all the more reason not to reward it.
Also, one of my college friends who worked closely with Micah in Albany had only positive things to say about him. Sample size of one, but another item pushing me in the Lasher camp.
There is an extremely large overlap between YIMBY circles and EA circles. Yglesias is squarely within that overlap
I think a large part of it is national capital-A Abundance pundits focused on splashy stuff like AI vs. more local folks who are more in the weeds on local issues and are largely behind Lasher
There are unsavory donors for all of the campaigns in this race. I don’t like the fact that Bores worked for Palantir either. But at the end of the day what I care most about is policy and lasher and bores seem to be 95% the same on that front with the only major distinction being that Lasher is supporting the NYCHA redevelopment in my neighborhood and Bores is functionally opposing it
I loved the article but I’m not sure I got the essence of why exactly Lasher is better than Bores? What’s the one line explanation if you were to sum it up?
Eli Baby — get w / what’s happening … { D } is so in the sewer, been a generationow …. { I } the way, the wave of the future … { D } = Down in Dumps … ML just another klone … CITI-ZENS UNITE ! U HV NO THING TO LOSE BUTT YOR PAINS ! Your Friend, H
Very informative. THANK YOU!
But I am put off by your dismissal of Nina Schwalbe as a spoiler. Granted that she has no chance of winning but that's not all a vote is about. If everyone goes with the "viable" candidates, we are signalling to the machine that we are accepting the EVIL OF TWO LESSERS.
So, I may be throwing away my opportunity to choose between Bores and Lasher (who, despite your insights, I have trouble getting to a strong preference) but I am signaling encouragement to future truly progressive candidates.
It is good to raise your substantive concerns. That matters. But it sounds like you would not vote for her even if you agreed on all policy matters, which is a bad move.
It is better to vote for who you want, and not get it, than to vote for what you don't want, and get it. [Admittedly, this last line is simplistic but I couldn't resist.]
Well thought-out points. On the topic of Micah endorsing Zohran long before Alex, an interesting data pt. In the first week of July, Manhattan Dem Exec Committee met to endorse Zohran, the only district leaders who didn't vote to endorse Zohran were from the UES. So you could argue that Micah's base was more likely to move to Zohran than the Cuomo-loving UES.
Thoughtful post! Very helpful analysis
This is my district and this contextualizes Lasher and others. Thank you.
AI policy seems to be a central issue in this race, so I'm curious as to why it goes unmentioned here. Is it because you think that Lasher and Bores would take the same AI policy action, despite all the evidence (their donors) to the contrary? Or that you don't think it's really an important issue for your district? It at least seems like AI policy is one place where Bores chose to take a stand in a hard fight--not just pick at low hanging fruit.
Wrote a whole blog on AI policy on Tuesday, check it out here! https://www.ghostrunnerblog.com/p/the-case-against-alex-bores
Upon reading your other post I understand why the AI policy issue shouldn't really count strongly in Bores favor, and I also see how the Leading the Future money isn't all that compromising for Lasher. I'm not a NY12 voter (bless) but I think I would choose Schwalbe. Lasher and Bores' weak positions on Israel are, to me, disqualifying in a democratic primary.
oh fire
Unfortunately, the district may be to the right of Jerry on Israel, particularly post-October 7th and post-the mayoral election. That said, I am not to the right of Jerry and will nudge whichever one wins to sign on to Block the Bombs.
The Mamdani endorsement struck me at the time. He did it publicly, a few days after the primary in June, and got a lot of pushback from rabbis on the UWS. Meanwhile when Alex endorsed Mamdani in mid September, it was not at all public. I only learned about it from a Jeff Coltin tweet. It was like under cover of darkness.
But Mamdani's advisors like Morris Katz and Rebecca Katz are backing him and there were reports that Mamdani also privately backed him earlier this year.