♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THIS "METROFOCUS" ELECTION SPECIAL.

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

TONIGHT, THE VOTE IS IN AND WE'RE BREAKING DOWN THE MAJOR WINNERS, THE BIGGEST UPSETS AND WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A HUGE NIGHT FOR REPUBLICANS.

NOW, WITH SEVERAL RACES THAT REMAIN TOO CLOSE TO CALL AS OF OUR TAPING ON WEDNESDAY, THE DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR, COMPTROLLER AND PUBLIC ADVOCATE ALL CRUISED TO VICTORY.

ERIC ADAMS WON IN A LANDSLIDE.

WE'LL DIVE INTO WHAT THE NEXT MAYOR COULD MEAN FOR NEW YORKERS.

AND THE NEXT CLASS OF THE CITY COUNCIL COULD HAVE MORE WOMEN ON IT IN ANY TIME HISTORY.

AND THERE COULD BE SOME REPUBLICANS COMING IN, TOO.

BOROUGHS, THE GOP ROAD A RED WAVE ON LONG ISLAND AND REPORTEDLY CAPTURED DISTRICT ATTORNEY SEATS IN NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES.

ACROSS THE RIVER IN NEW JERSEY, THE GOVERNOR'S ELECTION REMAINED IN A DEAD HEAT WITH DEMOCRAT PHIL MURPHY AND REPUBLICAN JACK CHITARELLI SEPARATED BID JUST A FEW THOUSAND VOTES.

FOR MUCH MORE ON THESE RACES I'D LIKE TO WELCOME IN OUR ROUNDTABLE OF ELECTION EXPERTS.

JOINS US TONIGHT, WE HAVE TRIP YANG.

TRIP HAS WORKED WITH EVERYONE FROM PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO PUBLIC ADVOCATE JEMANI WILLIAMS.

TRIP, WELCOME BACK TO "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK.

>> WE'RE ALSO JOINED TONIGHT BY J.C. POLANCO.

J.C. IS AN ATTORNEY, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF ELECTIONS, WHO NOW TEACHES.

J.C., IT IS ALSO A PLEASURE.

>> SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU.

>> AND WE'RE JOINED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY DAVID BRAND.

DAVID IS A SENIOR EDITOR AND REPORTER FOR CITY LIMITS, THE INVESTIGATIVE NEWS WEBSITE COVERING NEW YORK CITY.

HE IS ALSO COHOST OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM "CITY WATCH."

GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO, DAVID, AS A SENIOR REPORTER FOR "CITY LIMITS," I'M SURE YOU WERE WATCHING ERIC ADAMS LAST NIGHT.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> AND WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM HIS VICTORY SPEECH?

>> WELL, I DIDN'T GET AN INVITE TO ZERO BOND, SO, I DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE AFTERPARTY SPEECH, BUT WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME IS, I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE FROM ERIC ADAMS.

A LOT OF ENERGY, A LOT OF EXCITEMENT.

BUT I'M LOOKING AHEAD TO HOW HE'S GOB TO ELABORATE SOME OF THE POLICIES HE'S GOING TO PURSUE, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.

AND WE DIDN'T REALLY SEE THAT MUCH ELABORATION ON ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AHEAD TO.

>> OF COURSE, AND J.C., WE ALSO SAW KATHY HOCHUL THERE WITH ERIC ADAMS, WHICH IS A NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE TO THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE AT LEAST SAW PLAY OUT BETWEEN THE CURRENT MAYOR AND THE FORMER GOVERNOR.

SO, YOUR TAKE ON HER JOINING ERIC ADAMS FOR HIS VICTORY SPEECH?

>> I THINK IT WAS A STRATEGIC MOVE.

SHE NEEDS HIM MORE THAN HE NEEDS HER ON THAT STAGE.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

AND I THINK IT WAS -- IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW YORKERS TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD POSTPANDEMIC, STATE AND CITY GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND THAT WAS A VERY GOOD OPTIC AND THE PART OF MAYOR-ELECT ADAMS TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR ON STAGE.

I DON'T THINK THAT WAS AN ENDORSEMENT OF ANY KIND OF HER PRIMARY COMING UP.

BUT I THINK IT WAS A GOOD SIGN AS TO WHAT KIND OF MAYOR HE'S GOING TO WANT TO BE.

HE'S GOING TO WANT TO UNITE PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY THAT'S BEEN DIVIDED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I THINK HE'S GOING TO EXTEND AND OLIVE BRANCH TO ALL SIDES OF THE CITY AND BRING US TOGETHER.

I SEE THAT HAPPENING WITH HIS POLITICS, NOT ONLY WITH HIS POSITION ON TAXES AND CRIME AND BUSINESS, BUT WHAT HE'S TALKED ABOUT AS HIS POSTPANDEMIC PLAN TO RESTORE NEW YORK.

>> OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

AND SO TRIP, I'M WONDERING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY FROM THE PROGRESSIVE PERSPECTIVE, WE SAW MODERATE POITICIANS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AT LEAST IN NEW YORK, DEFINITELY WIN.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ELECTION RESULTS ARE OFTEN A LAWYER SHARK TEST.

WE TAKE IN WHAT WE WANT TO TAKE IN AND REENFORCE OUR OWN BELIEFS.

MY TAKE ON THIS IS ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO PLACES LIKE VIRGINIA AND NEW JERSEY AND IN LONG ISLAND, FRANKLY, JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN UNPOPULAR.

HIS APPROVAL RATINGS HAVE BEEN UNDER WATER AND THAT HAS BEEN A DRAG ON DEMOCRATS ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY, NOT JUST IN OUR REGION.

BUT I'LL ALSO SAY, QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN IT COMES TO NEW YORK CITY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PRIMARY RESULTS, YOU HAD BRAD LANDER WINNING A CONTESTED RACE FOR COMPTROLLER.

HE WAS THE MOST PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE.

JEMANI WILLIAMS NOT BEING SERIOUSLY CONTESTED IN HIS PRIMARY.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTION NIGHT YESTERDAY, ERIC ADAMS FOR MAYOR, BRAD AND JEMANI, THEY ALL FINISHED AROUND 66% TO 68% OF THE CITYWIDE RESULTS, ACCORDING TO THE UNOFFICIAL RESULTS FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

AND SO, QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK HERE LOCALLY IN NEW YORK CITY, WHAT VOTERS WANT IS THAT THEY WANT A GOVERNMENT OF DIVERSE IDEOLOGICAL OPINIONS.

YOU HAVE A MAYOR IN ERIC ADAMS WHO IS A VERY STRONG CANDIDATE, WHO IS A LITTLE BIT MORE CENTRIST IN SOME OF HIS POSITIONS, BUT HE IS FLANKED BY TWO VERY PROGRESSIVE CITYWIDE COLLEAGUES IN GOVERNMENT AND YOU HAVE A CITY COUNCIL THAT IS NOT JUST MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL BUT IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MOST AMOUNT OF WOMEN IN ITS HISTORY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NUANCED RESULTS AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT WITH A NUANCED UNDERSTANDING.

>> J.C., WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> NOT AT ALL.

THERE'S NOTHING NUANCED ABOUT THE FACT THAT NEW JERSEY'S TOO CLOSE, TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, TRIP.

YOU KNOW THAT AND YOU KNOW ALSO THAT VIRGINIA WAS OVERWHELMING A VICTORY FOR YOUNGKIN.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT BUFFALO, A WRITE-IN FOR A MAINSTREAM, CENTRIST DEMOCRAT WAS ABLE TO DEFEAT THE SOCIALIST PROGRESSIVE WHO WAS ACTUALLY ON THE BALLOT.

WHEN YOU LOOK UP AND DOWN, YOU SEE SUFFOLK COUNTY, NASSAU COUNTY GETTING RID OF DEMOCRATS IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICES AND GETTING THE EXECUTIVE'S RACE.

YOU CAN KEEP GOING ACROSS THE STATE AND YOU CAN KEEP GOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PROGRESSIVE POLITICS IN THE AOC ECHO CHAMBER THAT MANY PEOPLE IN QUEENS LIVE IN MAY SOUND GREAT IN LOCAL RACES, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD, IT'S NOT A NUANCE.

NEW YORKERS HAVE REJECTED THE ISSUES.

AND WE ALSO SAW AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 200% IN THE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE CITY COUNCIL.

THAT'S NOT A NUANCE.

THAT'S A MESSAGE THAT CENTRIST POLITICS, MODERATE POLITICS, WILL WIN THE DAY AND ULTRA -- WE ARE CONFUSE, EVEN ERIC ADAMS SAYS THIS, YOU ARE COOPTING THE WORD PROGRESSIVE.

ULTRA LEFT SOCIALIST POLICIES LOST YESTERDAY AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE MOVING FORWARD.

>> I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DISAGREE A LITTLE BIT WITH MY GOOD FRIEND J.C. WE ARE GOOD FRIENDS OFF THE AIR.

BUT QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT VIRGINIA, TERRY McAULIFFE, HE DID NOT RUN AS A PROGRESSIVE, HE RAN AS A CENTRIST.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT LAURA CURREN, THE INCUMBENT DEMOCRATIC GNAW SAYS COUNTY EXECUTIVE, WHICH J.C. IS CLINGING, SHE MAY LOSE.

SHE DID NOT RUN AS A PROGRESSIVE.

SHE TRIED TO RUN RIGHT OF CENTER.

SHE TRIED TO RUN A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE RIGHT OF A STANDARD, TRADITIONAL DEMOCRAT.

SO, THESE RESULTS ARE BASICALLY, YOU GET IN THESE RESULTS WHAT YOU SEE OUT OF THEM.

I SAW A LOT OF DEMOCRATS WHO RAN AS MODERATE CENTRIST DEMOCRATS AND THEY LOST BADLY, QUITE FRANKLY, BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT OUTRUN THE UNPOPULARITY OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.

IT'S NOT AN IDEOLOGY THING.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, LISTEN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A PIN IN THAT ONE, BECAUSE I DO WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THE FACT THAT, AND DAVID, THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU, A VERY FAMOUS LATE KING COUNTY RESIDENT ONCE POSED THE QUESTION WHERE BROOKLYN AT, AND APPARENTLY THE ANSWER IS CONSTANTLY, IN CITY GOVERNMENT, IN STATE GOVERNMENT, IN, LIKE, ALL KINDS OF ELECTED POSITIONS AND I'M WONDERING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT HAS MADE BROOKLYN SUCH A HOT BED FOR ELECTION AND POLITICAL ACTIVITY?

>> BROOKLYN IS THE CENTER OF POWER RIGHT NOW IN NEW YORK CITY AND NEW YORK STATE, AND I THINK IN A WAY, YOU COULD SAY IT'S ABOUT TIME, BROOKLYN ACCOUNTS FOR MORE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE, I THINK DURING THE LAST PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR, THAT 20% OF STATEWIDE DEMOCRATIC VOTES CAME FROM BROOKLYN.

SO, IT MAKES SENSE THAT IN THE DEMOCRATIC STATE, THE LARGEST COUNTY, THE REAL POWERHOUSE OF REALLY INVOLVED VOTERS ACROSS THE IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THEN WE'RE SEEING YESTERDAY, REPUBLICANS, AS WELL, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE THAT BROOKLYN IS HAVING ITS BIG POLITICAL TIME RIGHT NOW.

YES, WHERE BROOKLYN AT IS WHERE THE POWER IS.

>> APPARENTLY SO.

NOW, I ALSO WANT TO BRING IN ANOTHER BIG WIN AND THAT WAS, OF COURSE, FOR ELDEN BRAG, WHO BECAME THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO BE ELECTED AS MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

DAVID, VERY QUICKLY, BECAUSE HE'S NOT JUST, I MEAN, AGAIN, EVERYONE DID WIN AND THEY PICKED UP A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT POSITION, BUT HIS OFFICE HOLDS SOME PRETTY BIG INVESTIGATIONS, CORRECT?

>> YEAH, I THINK THERE'S ONE INVOLVING DONALD TRUMP THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION?

>> YES.

>> THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE FOCUS IS, AND YOU SEE IN A LOT OF NATIONAL REPORTING, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE PREMIERE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, PROBABLY THE PREMIERE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IN THE COUNTRY, MANHATTAN D.A.

PEOPLE KNOW IT BECAUSE OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION, INTO TRUMP'S BUSINESSES, BUT A LOT OF WHAT THEY HANDLE IS CASES INVOLVING LOW INCOME PEOPLE, LOW INCOME PEOPLE OF COLOR, SO, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW BRAG REOR YEIENTS THE OFFICE.

>> TURNING BACK TO SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL RACES, TRIP, WE -- THE -- LET'S SEE, PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THE 32nd DISTRICT IN QUEENS AND THE 50th DISTRICT IN STATEN ISLAND, WHERE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO HOLD ONTO SEATS.

THAT WERE HELD BY, YOU KNOW, OUTGOING LAWMAKERS.

AND SO, I'M WONDERING, WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING IN THOSE RACES FOR THOSE DISTRICTS?

>> I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE MUCH CHANGE IN TERMS OF PARTY IDENTIFICATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL NEXT YEAR.

I THINK THE DEMOCRATS AS A WHOLE ARE COLLECTIVELY MORE PROGRESSIVE NEXT YEAR IN THE CITY COUNCIL THAN ITS CURRENT YEAR AS WELL AS OBVIOUSLY MUCH MORE DIVERSE, FRANKLY.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN HOUSE SEATS, CURRENTLY, THERE ARE THREE REPUBLICAN HOUSE SEATS.

NEXT YEAR, THERE MAY BE -- MAY BE FOUR, AT MOST FIVE, BUT I THINK CLOSER TO THREE OR FOUR.

AND THIS IS A 51-MEMBER BODY, SO, THIS IS JUST VERY SMALL, INCREMENTAL CHANGE.

RIGHT NOW, THERE IS FELICIA STING, THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE IN QUEENS, LOOKS LIKE SHE WILL LOSE TO THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, BUT THAT WAS HELD BY OUTGOING REPUBLICAN MEMBER ERIC ULRICH.

THAT'S NO SURPRISE TO ME.

YOU LOOK AT THE STATEN ISLAND SEAT, TWO OF THE THREE OF THEM WERE HELD BY REPUBLICANS, TWO OF THREE OF THEM WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO BE HELD BY REPUBLICANS ONCE THE RESULTS ARE CERTIFIED.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, ON THE CITY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, THE REAL BATTLEGROUND IS IN SOUTH BROOKLYN, THE SEAT IN BAY RIDGE, HELD BY INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT JUSTIN BRENNAN, WHO IS ALSO A SPEAKER CANDIDATE, HE LOOKS TO BE BEHIND BY A COUPLE HUNDRED VOTES, BUT HIS CAMPAIGN HAS PUT OUT PUBLIC STATEMENTS EARLIER THIS MORNING THAT AFTER THEY COUNT ALL OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT JUSTIN BRENNAN EXPECTS TO WIN.

THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BATTLEGROUND.

SO, FROM A TOP LINE PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL SEE MUCH CHANGE FROM A PARTY PERSPECTIVE IN THE CITY COUNCIL NEXT YEAR.

>> WELL, I DISAGREE.

JENNA, WE HAVE -- THERE ARE GOING TO BE SIX NEW -- THERE'S GOING TO BE SIX MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS IN THE CITY COUNCIL.

THAT'S A 200% INCREASE.

WE WERE AT THREE AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE FIVE OR SIX, NOT THREE OR FOUR, NEW ADDITIONS FROM LAST NIGHT, OUTRIGHT VICTORIES.

AT TRIP MENTIONED, THE ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS THAT JUSTIN BRENNAN SEAT IN BAY RIDGE, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE JUST SO INCREDIBLY LOPSIDED THAT THERE WILL BE NEW REPUBLICAN PICKUPS.

AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS THAT IT DEMONSTRATES THAT IN DISTRICTS LIKE THE ONE THAT -- I KNOW TRIP'S NOT IMPRESSED, BUT IT'S A 3-1 DEMOCRAT TO REPUBLICAN DISTRICT AND IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY MINORITY.

IT MAY HAVE BEEN RESPECTED BY ERIC ULRICH, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS THE PARTY LEVEL, THAT FITS THE COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHIC, TO LOSE IN SUCH A LARGE NUMBER, IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT THERE ARE PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE CONSIDER CONCERNED WITH ALL THIS TALK IN QUEENS AFTER LEGALIZING SEX WORK, INCREASING TAXES ON WORKING FAMILIES.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT DON'T RESONATE WITH MANY PARTS OF THE CITY.

WE SAW THAT YESTERDAY IN SOME PARTS OF -- SOME OF THE VICTORIES THAT REPUBLICANS SAW IN THE CITY COUNCIL.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD AGREE 100%.

I THINK IF A REPUBLICAN HOLDS ONTO A SEAT AND A REPUBLICAN SUCCEEDS THAT OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A SURPRISE.

>> OKAY.

AGAIN, PUTTING A PIN IN THAT ONE FOR A MOMENT, BUT DAVID, HOW DO YOU SEE, THEN, THIS NEW POTENTIALLY NEW MAKEUP OF THE CITY COUNCIL EFFECTING WHO BECOMES THE NEXT SPEAKER?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT COULD REALLY EFFECT IT WITH THAT RACE WITH JUSTIN BRENNAN, BECAUSE HE'S SEEN AS A FRONT-RUNNER FOR THE SPEAKERSHIP.

THOUGH, WITH THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS, LIKELY TO BREAK DEMOCRAT, IT SEEMS LIKELY HE IS GOING TO OVERCOME THE SMALL DEFICIT RIGHT NOW, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, TO WHAT TRIP SAID EARLIER, HOW YOU SEE THESE RESULTS MIGHT DEPEND ON YOUR IDEOLOGY.

AND IF YOU ARE A PROGRESSIVE, YOU ARE PROBABLY BLAMING MAIN STREAM DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

IF YOU ARE MORE MAINSTREAM MODERATE, YOU ARE PROBABLY BLAMING PROGRESSIVES FOR DRAGGING YOU DOWN.

AND IF YOU ARE CONSERVATIVE, YOU ARE PROBABLY JUST CELEBRATING RIGHT NOW.

SO, WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT WINS OUT AND HOW THE SPIN IS THERE.

BUT I THOUGHT SOMETHING THAT J.C. SAID EARLIER WAS REALLY INTERESTING, HE CALLED ERIC ULRICH A LIBERAL REPUBLICAN, WHICH IS DEFINITELY TRUE.

AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF THESE OUTCOMES IS THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW LIBERAL REPUBLICANS OR CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU LOOK AT COUNCIL DISTRICT 19 IN NORTHEAST QUEENS HAS BEEN REPRESENTED BY MODERATE DEMOCRATS, CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS, MOST RECENTLY PAUL VALLONE, PRIOR TO THAT, TONY AVELLA.

TRYING TO WIN BACK HIS SEAT AND GETS WHIPPED RIGHT NOW BY A FAR RIGHT REPUBLICAN, VICKI PALADINO.

SO, WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF IDEOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ON THE COUNCIL, I THINK YOU'RE SEEING LESS, YOU KNOW, LESS PEOPLE IN ONE PARTY WILLING TO SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO MAY SHARE THEIR VALUES, BUT BELONGS TO THE OTHER PARTY.

>> OKAY.

WELL, SPEAKING -- I MEAN, LEAVING NEW YORK CITY ALONE FOR A MOMENT, I DO WANT TO GO BACK, BECAUSE J.C., YOU SORT OF TOUCHED ON IT, AS WELL AS TRIP, ABOUT LONG ISLAND AND WHAT HAPPENED ON LONG EYENED LA.

AND SO, I'M WONDERING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT THE REPUBLICANS WHO WON, BAIL REFORM WAS A REALLY BIG ISSUE, YOU KNOW, CRIMINAL JUSTICE WAS ANOTHER REALLY BIG ISSUE.

OR, I SHOULD SAY, CRIME.

WHAT DO YOU SEE, WHAT DO YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE RED WAVE THAT HIT LONG ISLAND?

>> I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT LONG ISLAND IS IN THE NEW YORK CITY MEDIA MARKET, SO, THEY'RE SEEING WHAT WE'RE SEEING, BUT IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT OUT THERE.

THEY'RE PAYING HIGHER TAXES, THEY'RE HOME TO A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY TEND TO SPLIT THEIR TICKET, WHICH IS A DREAM FOR A GUY LIKE ME, I HOPE THAT NEW YORK CITY ONE DAY SPLITS THEIR TICKET.

THEY TEND TO VOTE DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN REGULARLY, LIKE MOST OF THE COUNTRY.

IT'S A GREAT MICROCOSM OF WHAT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS DOING.

WHAT YOU SAW IN LONG ISLAND IS THE UNPOPULARITY OF PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE ADMINISTRATION.

THE PROBLEM AT THE BORDER, THE -- AFGHANISTAN DEBACLE, THESE THINGS ARE PROBLEMS FOR THE PRESIDENT THAT BROUGHT DEMOCRATS DOWN.

BUT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, YOU HAD MODERATE AND INDEPENDENT VOTERS THAT DID NOT LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT CAME BACK AND VOTED REPUBLICAN AND THEY SUPPORTED REPUBLICAN DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO SEND A MESSAGE OF LAW AND ORDER AGAINST BAIL REFORM, AGAINST SOME OF THE ULTRA LEFT POLICIES THAT MAY BODE WELL IN THE ECHO CHAMBER OF NEW YORK CITY, BUT NOT IN THE SUBURBS OF NASSAU AND SUFFOLK.

WE SAW THAT LAST NIGHT.

NASSAU AND SUFFOLK D.A.s TURNED OVER.

THESE ARE MAJOR PICKUPS FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

WE WOULD HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT JUST LAST YEAR, BUT I THINK TRIP WAS ONTO SOMETHING WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S UNPOPULARITY.

>> TRIP?

>> THANK YOU FOR THE SHOUTOUT, J.C. AND, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO NASSAU COUNTY, DEMOCRATS ARE A LITTLE BIT MOD RAT ON AVERAGE THAN NEW YORK CITY DEMOCRATS, BUT THE FLIP SIDE TO YOUR ARGUMENT IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE LIKE LAURA CURREN, WHO IS THE INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THERE WAS MEDIA REPORTS THAT WAS SHE RUNNING TO THE RIGHT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WHEN YOU DO THAT AS A DEMOCRAT, THERE'S A LARGE RISK, YOU ALIENATE SOME OF YOUR OWN VOTERS BECAUSE THEY VIEW YOU AS PURSUING INAUTHENTIC, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL MANEUVERS TO TRY TO WIN ELECTION AND SOME OF YOUR OWN DEMOCRATIC VOTERS COULD STAY HOME.

WE'VE SEEN THAT TIME AND AGAIN WHEN VOTER -- WHEN YOU STRAY TOO FAR AWAY FROM A PARTY'S BASE AND BY THE PARTY'S BASE, I MEAN TRADITIONAL LIBERAL DEMOCRATS IN NASSAU COUNTY.

A LOT OF THEM COULD STAY HOME.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED A LOT OF TIMES WITH THESE LONG ISLAND RACES, THAT DEMOCRATS ACTUALLY RAN TO THE RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO APPEAL TO THE SO-CALLED ILLUSIVE MODERATE VOTER AND THEY WOUND UP LOSING A LOT OF SEATS BECAUSE OF THAT.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT -- CHOOSING LEADERS WASN'T THE ONLY QUESTION THAT PEOPLE WERE CHOOSING AND SO DAVID, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BALLOT PROPOSALS THAT VOTERS WERE ASKED TO DECIDE, AS WELL?

>> BALLOT PROPOSALS ABOUT MAKING VOTER ACCESS EASIER AND MAKING IT EASIER TO GET ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOW TURNOUT IN NEW YORK CITY GAVE A LOT OF OUTSIDE INFLUENCE TO VOTERS ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE AND SO I THINK WE'RE SEEING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR THOSE BALLOT INITIATIVES.

I THINK PEOPLE WERE KIND OF CONFIDENT THEY WOULD ALL PASS AND NOT LOOKING THAT WAY.

>> OKAY.

>> NO, JENNA, DAVID MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

NEW YORKERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE EARLY, THEY COULD HAVE VOETD BY MAIL IF THEY WERE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AND VOTE ON ELECTION DAY AND TO RIGHT NOW, FOR US TO SEE ABOUT 15% TO 16% TURNOUT, 85% OF REGISTERED VOTERS STAYED HOME, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE, IT'S DISGUSTING, IT'S TERRIBLE AND NEW YORKERS HAVE TO COME OUT IN LARGER NUMBERS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T COME OUT IN NUMBERS, WE'RE THE FIRST TO COMPLAIN.

IT'S UNFORGIVABLE TO HAVE 85% OF NEW YORKERS NOT PARTICIPATE IN THESE ELECTIONS.

THESE ELECTIONS WERE VERY IMPORTANT AND THERE WERE MANY WAYS THAT NEW YORKERS COULD HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF COMING OUT AND MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD.

>> OF COURSE.

AND THAT IS A DRUM BEAT THAT YOU CONSISTENTLY HIT WITH US AND DEFINITELY SOMETHING WORTH REENFORCING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

BUT I DO WANT TO TURN OUR ATTENTION ACROSS THE HUDSON TO NEW JERSEY, WHICH, AS OF OUR TAPING, STILL HASN'T OFFICIALLY BEEN CALLED, THAT GOVERNOR MURPHY WAS A FEW THOUSAND VOTES OVER, BUT THAT WAS A LOT CLOSER THAN I THINK PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING.

AND SO, TRIP, I'LL GET YOUR TAKE ON, WHY WAS THE NEW JERSEY GUBERNATORIAL RACE SO TIGHT AND SO CLOSE?

>> I'LL ANSWER THAT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE THAT GREW UP FROM FT. LEE, NEW JERSEY, JUST ACROSS THE BRIDGE FROM BROOKLYN HAS DONE A COUPLE OF RACES IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FACTORS HERE, ONE HAS BEEN MENTIONED MANY TIMES BEFORE, THE DEEP UNPOPULARITY OF PRESIDENT BIDEN.

LOCALLY IN NEW JERSEY, PRESIDENT BIDEN IS UNDER WATER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT NEW JERSEY HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN A DEMOCRATIC STATE, WITH GENERALLY A 2-1 VOTER REGISTRATION FOR DEMOCRATS.

PHIL MURPHY AND HIS TEAM SLEPTWALKED THROUGH THIS RACE A LITTLE BIT AND MAYBE DID NOT TAKE IT WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SERIOUSNESS AND RIGOR THAT A GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION REQUIRES.

AND THREE, AND I WILL GIVE CREDIT TO MY FRIEND J.C.'S PARTY, JACK CHITARELLI IS A STRONG REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.

HE RAN IN THE 2017 REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR.

HE LOST TO CHRIS CHRISTIE THEN.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT YEAR.

BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS A VERY STRONG CANDIDATE BACK THEN.

BEFORE THAT, HE WAS AN ASSEMBLY MEMBER IN A SWING, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN NEW JERSEY.

HE IS THE TYPE OF REPUBLICAN WHO WILL GO OUT BEYOND THE REPUBLICAN TRUMP MAGA BASE AND GO INTO AREAS THAT LEAN DEMOCRAT AND TRY TO -- TRY TO APPEAL WITH THEM WITH HIS MESSAGE OF LOWERING TAXES AND OTHER TRADITIONAL REPUBLICAN STAPLES.

SO, THREE FACTORS THAT ALL CAME TO A CLOSER THAN EXPECTED SHOWING, THAT BEING SAID, JUST BASED ON WHERE THE OUTSTANDING VOTES ARE TO BE COUNTED, I DO EXPECT INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY TO SQUEAK OUT A WIN HERE.

>> OKAY.

WELL, THEN, J.C., FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT A LOT OF THE DEMOCRATS, AT LEAST, TERRY McAULIFFE TALKED ABOUT AND WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF RACES AROUND THE COUNTRY IS THAT PART OF WHAT DEMOCRATS NEED TO TURN THIS AROUND IS TO STOP THE ARGUING IN WASHINGTON, THAT A LOT OF VOTERS WERE TYING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN D.C. TO BASICALLY THE REST OF THE PARTY.

AND I'M WONDERING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO TURN THIS AROUND BEFORE THE MIDTERMS, WHICH EFFECTIVELY START IN TWO MONTHS.

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT.

YOU HAVE AN IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDE IN THE PARTY.

AND SENATOR MANCHIN, I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT SENATOR MANCHIN IS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S IN THIS BILL, LET'S TALK ABOUT TAXES, LET'S TALK ABOUT INFLATION AND THAT MESSAGE IS BEING -- IS BEING BEAT UP REGULARLY BY THE FAR PROGRESSIVES IN CONGRESS AND THIS MEDIA ECHO CHAMBER THAT WE LIVE IN AND THAT'S CREATED A PROBLEM FOR DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS ONCE YOU START LOOKING AT WHAT'S IN THE BILL, YOU START REALIZING THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT AMERICANS WILL BE PAYING FOR THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY THAT POPULAR AND WHAT WE SAW YESTERDAY WAS A REPUDIATION AGAINST THAT KIND OF THINKING.

THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE DAY CARE IF THEY WANT, THE IDEA THAT FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF MEANS TESTING.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT, I THINK, SOUND GOOD IN THE ECHO CHAMBER HERE IN PARTS OF NEW YORK CITY, BROOKLYN AND QUEENS, BUT IN WEST VIRGINIA, MISSOURI, MISSISSIPPI, IDAHO AND OREGON, THOSE THINGS ARE NOT AS POPULAR AS YOU MAY THINK.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK DEMOCRATS SHOULD TAKE AWAY FROM YESTERDAY'S ELECTIONS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR REGION.

>> ALL RIGHT, DAVID, WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD AND ASK, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT REALLY CAUGHT YOUR ATTENTION COMING OUT OF THIS ELECTION, LIKE, WHAT IS THE BIG HEADLINE TO YOU?

>> I THINK -- I WENT TO TWO OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WERE SEEN AS THE MOST HOTLY CONTESTED, WHICH ACTUALLY SEEMED TO TURN OUT TO REPUBLICAN BLOWOUTS, THAT'S DIX TICKET 50 IN STATEN ISLAND, 32 IN QUEENS, REPUBLICANS ARE ABOUT TO WIN BOTH OF THOSE SEATS IN THE COUNCIL, RETAIN THOSE SEATS, AND I THINK REPUBLICANS WERE ENERGIZED AND I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DENY THAT.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WAS KIND OF IN A BIT OF SHAMBLES BECAUSE THERE WAS THAT KIND OF FEUDING AND THAT REALLY HURT IN SOME OF THOSE TIGHTER RACES WHERE THE PARTY DIDN'T COALESCE.

AND YOU SAW REPUBLICAN VOTERS IN STATEN ISLAND AND SOUTH QUEENS WERE ENERGIZED TO VOTE REPUBLICAN, TO HOLD ONTO THOSE SEATS AND TO EXPAND THEIR BASE IN THOSE TWO BOROUGHS.

SO, I THINK -- WHAT I TAKE AWAY, WHEN PEOPLE ARE ENERGIZED TO VOTE FOR SOMETHING, THEY'RE GOING TO BRING OUT MORE PEOPLE AND THE OPPOSITION PARTY, REPUBLICANS, SEEM MORE ENERGIZED.

THEY WERE ON THE ATTACK, THEY WERE EXCITED AND, YOU KNOW, THEY PERFORMED WELL.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

I'D LIKE TO THAN, ALL THREE OF MY GUESTS.

TRIP YANG, J.C. POLANCO AND, OF COURSE, DAVID, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US TODAY.

THIS WAS REALLY, I THINK, A ROBUST CONVERSATION ON THE POSTMORTEM OF THE ELECTION, SO, THANK YOU AGAIN, TRIP, J.C. AND DAVID BRAND.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN