A City Council battle brews in South Brooklyn

Plus: Adams expands remote work option for city employees. [FORWARD TO A FRIEND]( [VIEW IN BROWSER]( [DONATE]( [WNYC Politics Brief] [Two NYC councilmembers battle in South Brooklyn over a newly drawn Council seat]( Recent redistricting has made for a chaotic election year in the City Council. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in South Brooklyn’s contest between two sitting councilmembers: Democrat Justin Brannan and Republican Ari Kagan, a former Democrat who switched parties last December after electoral maps were redrawn. Voter turnout, which was crucial in those contests, will be key in this one, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 7. And the fact that both Brannan and Kagan have incumbency advantages, including name recognition and political connections, makes the race tricky to forecast. “To have to run against someone who has actually won the same office, it’s very daunting,” said Carolyn Abott, an assistant political science professor at Baruch College. “Even if you think that you have an advantage, in this new district you have to beat someone who has already won an election.” [Read more.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 🗳️ --------------------------------------------------------------- More politics stories to know this week NYC Council investing $175M into improving Elmhurst Hospital The Queens hospital was among the first – and hardest – hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will go toward helping with critical improvements throughout the facility. [Read more.]( Jersey City suing state in attempt to prevent police officers from using cannabis when off duty NJ state regulations prohibit employers from penalizing workers for using marijuana when off the job, including cops. But Jersey City says those rules contradict federal law, and that letting police officers get high could put the public in danger. [Read more.]( Mayor Adams allows remote work option for thousands more city employees Adams was initially reluctant to embrace a new hybrid workplace. But as part of union contract negotiations, he's now allowing thousands of city employees to work remotely two days a week. [Read more.]( Gov. Hochul’s father dies at 87 The governor received the news of her father, Jack Courtney’s, sudden death from a brain hemorrhage while she was on a three-day solidarity mission in Israel. She said she had just spoken to him right before departing. [Read more.]( Some influential New Jerseyians regret helping pay for Bob Menendez’s legal defense Several power brokers gave thousands to help Bob Menendez’s legal defense before news broke of the senator’s second indictment in his career. [Read more.]( NY launches new hate incident hotline In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, Gov. Hochul announced a new hotline and online form for New Yorkers to report incidents of hate or bias. [Read more.]( Mayor Adams muted Palestinian-American lawyer criticizing him on call Adams attended an Oct. 12 Zoom meeting to address some Muslim New Yorkers’ criticisms that his statements about the Israel-Hamas war have been inaccurate and one-sided. But participants say they left with more worries than when the meeting began. [Read more.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 🗳️ --------------------------------------------------------------- [the logo for the Brian Lehrer daily politics podcast]( [Support For Israel Meets “Old-Fashioned Legislative Log-Rolling”]( A Palestinian affairs analyst explains some of the long-standing internal politics of Gaza and the West Bank, including Hamas, Fatah and what has prevented a two-state solution. [LISTEN]( Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential political coverage and more. [DONATE]( [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [WNYC]( [WQXR]( [NJPR]( [GOTHAMIST]( [WNYC STUDIOS]( [THE GREENE SPACE]( Copyright © New York Public Radio. 160 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013 All rights reserved. [Terms of Use.]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your [preferences]( or [unsubscribe]( from this list