Smart analysis from Esther Sun: Will the race for governor be fought between Kathy Hochul and Elise Stefanik over whether voters are more ticked off by Donald Trump or Zohran Mamdani?

The project has pitted environmental advocates against Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Larry Kudlow, ostensible journalist.

Imagine someone saying this about Jews after Koch was elected. This guy's a member of the U.S. Senate.

The Stefanik campaign announces the endorsement of the last NY Republican to hold statewide office — who describes Zohran Mamdani as an "openly devout socialist" (as opposed to a "card-carrying Muslim," say).

Stefanik campaign emails since dawn Friday.

"There is a significant element of U.S. conservatives (who talk about Hungary) with the same tone a small child might use to describe Walt Disney World, or a wealthy adult might talk about the violent sci-fi delights of Westworld: places where all your fantasies can come true."

An absolutely klassic moment from the Heritage Foundation all-hands — ugh, are we gonna be required to attend Shabbat dinners just because the boss failed to sufficient denounce the platforming of a Nazi? youtu.be/uSzreQWCRPg?...

The Voorheesville school district is going to recover all of the money that was stolen from it in a cyber attack last month.

An inductee in the Bethlehem Central High School Hall of Fame, along with non-Islamophobe Eva Marie Saint.

Local butcher shops are concerned ahead of the holiday season.

U.S. Agency for Global Media's senior advisor Kari Lake, who claims to be the "acting CEO" of the media agency, is winding down the Hungarian operations of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, she affirmed in a letter this week. [MSNBC]

Antonio Brown, the controversial former NFL star and former owner of the now-defunct Albany Empire arena football team, has been arrested on an attempted murder charge stemming from a May shooting following a celebrity boxing event in Miami.

Two days after winning reelection in an uncontested race, Town Supervisor James Quigley III announced his resignation in a letter to the town council Thursday night. He offered no explanation.

the anti-Mamdani billionaires could use their money to solve lots of problems in NYC, instead they spent their money to exacerbate them

Times Union staff — past and current — was well represented.

Really enjoyed last night's "Legs" reading, but this was an unexpected highlight with William Kennedy and Belle-Skinner. #video #booksky 💙📚

So much in wapo article abt the hideous antisemitic degeneracy at Heritage. Summed up in two nuggets. CEO Roberts says he didn't mean to offend by attacking "globalists"; then we learn his speechwriter is upset he might have to share a meal with Jews. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...

incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty

Administration getting a bad decision so deep-dish it should be served with a trowel.

🔊 New CapCon Pod: State Comptroller @TomDiNapoli chats with me about the state's finances heading into 2026 and how he's feeling about his campaign for reelection. www.capitolconfidential.com/p/comptrolle...

Woke mob at work again — don't put up with it, Ross!

Looking for something to do around the region over the next few days? Here's everything happening over the next 7 days. Oh, and here are my faves: - Weed-friendly "Smokus Pocus" magic show - Clash of the Titans screening in Schen. - Flamy Grant, the only drag queen to make the Christian music charts

“He had no conception of organic friendship as opposed to transactionality,” de Blasio (the former mayor, guys) said. “ ... The only thing he could conceptionalize [sic] was political power and gaining the next office and somehow ... surpassing his father in his own mind. That was a horrible trap.”

Saratoga County GOP Chair Joseph Suhrada attributes Democratic wins to “Trump hate up and down the Northway. ... Downstate voters have moved in to enjoy the fruits of our fiscally sound approach. They want to revert to downstate ways." #OutsideAgitators

We received a very, very strange letter from the alleged killer.

Subscribe to The Onion instead of whatever this shit is. Membership.theonion.com

Affordability is the new groceries

William Kennedy reads from “Legs” at the NYS Writers Institute’s daylong community reading — which is running late, thus allowing time for good literary fellowship.

The Kevin Bacon Theory of Extrajudicial Killing, e.g. Bacon was in "Mystic River" with Sean Penn, who interviewed El Chapo.

Well, that's what you think

Here's Cuomo making the point that his independent run outdid his dad's '77 mayoral campaign by a scosh — a moment that for devoted Cuomonologists is one of the most Cuomo moments in the history of Cuomonism. youtu.be/MP1nF21zgQo?...

dawg not the steakhouse wedding font

Y'all come — these readings are great community literary events, a chance to let Bill Kennedy know how much he means to this specific set of devoted readers, and the cocktails.

Well yeah OK but EXCEPT for that

“Lacks political savvy” is such an incredible punchline

10/10 no notes

UPDATE: Yeah, sorry, not gonna happen. www.timesunion.com/projects/202...

If Jay Jones texted that shit in 2016 would a critical mass of Dems have blanked their ballot and let Miyares win? I think so. But they are furious now. Their new standard is: Make the guy apologize, then vote for him, because fuck it, Republicans would.

The TU editorial board: Was political coverup the motive in Sullivan Co.’s handling of a gun smuggled into its jail? “The only other explanation is that top law enforcement officials in Sullivan County are morally upright but not very good at their jobs.”

Great stuff from Paul Grondahl.

meanwhile over on x, things are going about as expected

Before opening these I was like, solid chance Brandon Gill is in there. And yup, he is

It's midnight, and the Saratoga County Board of Elections is still reporting only a quarter of precincts reported — this office is perennially lousy at getting out their numbers in timely fashion, and I've never understood why that's so.

Oof

Meanwhile in beautiful Upstate America, Columbia County just elected New York's first Black county sheriff. Roger Hannigan Gilson reports.

MAMDANI: "I wish Andrew Cuomo only the best in private life, but let tonight be the last time I utter his name ...."

Don't say he's mad