Suozzi's still running

Daily Point

One challenger field clears out, but not another

Quickly, what would have been a crowded primary scramble for state attorney general next year has cleared out. With incumbent Letitia James passing on a run for governor, it took only four days for those who were getting ready to vie to succeed her to cancel themselves.

Immediately on Thursday, a handful of would-have-been candidates were out. Over the weekend, former House impeachment counsel Dan Goldman and activist and Fordham University professor Zephyr Teachout had withdrawn. On Monday, former state Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo and Assemb. Clyde Vanel (D-Queens) announced their departure.

Vullo’s statement read like several others: "Tish has been a tireless leader for New York as our Attorney General, including in the fight for reproductive rights. I greatly admire the work Tish has done as Attorney General and she has my full and unwavering support for her re-election."

This consolidation of nomination support for Gov. Kathy Hochul and AG James has briefly rendered useless the old stock phrase "Democrats in disarray." State and Nassau County party leader Jay Jacobs declared that the rapid AG withdrawals are "proof that nobody in their right mind thinks they could ever beat Tish James."

But this little rush for the exits didn’t spread to the governor’s race, where city Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) remain declared candidates. As of Monday, Suozzi was sticking to his rationale that he’s the right seasoned executive for the job who will cut taxes, apply common sense, and stand up to all types of extremists.

Given that status quo, skeptics continued to wonder how Suozzi’s candidacy will look in a few weeks once trends in fundraising, polling, and New York City support become clearer.

So far, the congressman hasn’t stated a preference for whom he’d endorse to succeed him after lines for his 3rd Congressional District are redrawn early next year.

That’s just another widely anticipated race for which the field can swell and shrink.

— Dan Janison @Danjanison

Pencil Point

Too big to sail

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Final Point

Reality bites

• During the sentencing of Rob Walker on his corruption conviction, a U.S. attorney said the former deputy Nassau County executive "crossed a line between politics and criminality, a line that frankly on Long Island is often blurry." With all due respect, the line is clear, but Long Island politicians cross it so often it can be hard to see.
• In the space of one week, CNN hired Chris Wallace and fired Chris Cuomo — one a straight shooter, the other only claiming to be.
• Former President Donald Trump called a rally in Orlando a "great event" with a "great crowd." Which it was, assuming you ignored the completely empty seats in the upper level of the arena.
• Asked about a possible 2024 presidential run, former Vice President Mike Pence said he and his family would discuss it and pray "and we’ll go where we’re called." We can save Pence some time and meditation: No one in the Republican Party is calling on him to run.
• Facebook executive Andrew Bosworth says people, not the platform, are responsible for spreading vaccine misinformation. Can you hear the echo of the NRA?
• He was a daydream believer who caught the last train to Clarksville and was too busy singing to put anybody down. RIP, Mike Nesmith.

— Michael Dobie @mwdobie

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