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Dozens of New York politicians joined the St. Patrick’s Day revelry on Monday, parading up Fifth Avenue to celebrate Irish history and culture.
“There was a time in New York City when there were signs in places that said, ‘Irish need not apply.’ So we always need to remember that,” former Democratic City Councilman Daniel Dromm told NY1.
While celebrating the Irish immigration story, New York politicians are also not shy about making their presence known during the Fifth Avenue St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Some are hoping the “luck of the Irish” follows them into election season.
“It’s a great reminder of what the Irish community has contributed to New York and our role and responsibility to continue that forward,” Manhattan City Councilman Keith Powers, who is also running as a Democrat for Manhattan borough president, said.
“It’s the immigrant experience. It’s ultimately the history and the rise of New York City. I think it’s important for people to remember on a day like this the 19th century Irish immigrants were treated very differently, they couldn’t get jobs they were looked down upon,” added Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan, a Democratic candidate for city comptroller.
While some political alliances appear obvious, others are obviously antagonistic.
Republican Congressman Michael Lawler blames Hochul for backing congestion pricing.
“It’s nothing but a scam. It was a billion-dollar cash grab to raise $15 billion dollars for the MTA,” he told NY1 while marching. “As far as I’m concerned, the program should be dead and gone and I’ll keep fighting to do that.”
He’s deciding whether he’ll challenge her for her job in 2026.
After a two-hour meeting last week with President Donald Trump, Hochul says she’s sticking to her guns.
“As I repeated in the Oval Office on Friday: the cameras are not going off, it is working, it was a state decision, we had the proper federal approvals for this,” she said ahead of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade start.
But she’s cautious about revealing her preferred pick in the race for mayor, previously saying she won’t endorse.
“Anybody running for office calls me. I’ve had calls from just about everybody running, so don’t read into conversations,” she said.
But last week, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams publicly revealed during an interview on PIX11 that Hochul encouraged her to jump in the race.
“We’ve been good partners thus far and I don’t see things changing with myself becoming the mayor,” she told NY1 on Monday.
Sources say Attorney General Letitia James is all in for Speaker Adams.
Hochul and James notably did not walk with Mayor Eric Adams along Fifth Avenue.
Mayor Adams instead marched with members of the NYPD.
Meanwhile, Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa offered his own warning for Democrats.
“I ride the subways, I walk the streets, I’m a real New Yorker, unlike the Hamptons guy named Cuomo who’s come back for another shot to destroy, this time, the city,” he said.
