Max Politics – Represent NYC General Election Results Recap

Date: November 17, 2021
Host: Ben Max (Gotham Gazette/Max Politics)
Guests: Dr. Christina Greer (Fordham University, FAQNYC co-host), Harry Siegel (Daily Beast, Daily News, FAQNYC co-host)

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a comprehensive recap and analysis of the 2021 New York City general elections. With most citywide races decided, Ben Max and his guests break down election results, assess the state of NYC politics, and look ahead to the challenges facing Mayor-elect Eric Adams and other key figures. Discussion explores voter turnout, the state constitutional amendments, shifting political power among city boroughs, and the open questions about Adams’s policy agenda and governance style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Major Election Results & Turnout

(00:30 – 02:56)

• Ben Max opens by recapping the confirmed results:
  • Eric Adams will be New York City’s next mayor.
  • Brad Lander elected Comptroller, Jumaane Williams re-elected Public Advocate.
  • Five new borough presidents and almost all 51 city council members decided.
  • Alvin Bragg becomes the new Manhattan District Attorney, and Eric Gonzalez retains Brooklyn DA.
  • Shockingly low turnout: about 20% of eligible voters participated.
  • Three of five state constitutional amendments were defeated (notably those targeting voting rights and redistricting), while two passed, including the right to clean air and water.

2. Shifting Political Powers and Harlem’s Political Resurgence

(02:56 – 04:53)

• Dr. Christina Greer notes Brooklyn has become the center of Black political power with figures like Jumaane Williams, Letitia James, and Eric Adams.

• Alvin Bragg’s victory may signal the revitalization of Harlem as a political force.

• The upcoming City Council Speaker race is critical but decided internally, not by voters.

• Primary elections carry disproportionate influence due to NYC’s closed primary system and low turnout; Dr. Greer suggests exploring nonpartisan primary models.

  "Had Alvin Bragg not won the primary ... I'm really curious as to what Harlem politics would look like." (Dr. Greer, 03:56)

3. Voter Apathy & The Case for Nonpartisan Elections

(05:02 – 08:51)

• Harry Siegel highlights:

  • This was the lowest turnout since 1985, partly due to foregone conclusions in the races.
  • Citywide general elections are non-competitive, demotivating voters.
  • Ballot proposals on redistricting went down, largely because Democrats assumed passage without campaigning, while conservatives organized effectively against them.
  • Outside NYC, especially Long Island, Democrats suffered major losses.
  • Siegel advocates for a nonpartisan primary system (with a top-2 or top-4 run-off), allowing for more meaningful general election contests.

  "If the city is going to just be Democratic ... we need to have some way to have competitive general elections." (Harry Siegel, 08:32)

4. Eric Adams: Mandate, Messaging, and Mystery

(08:51 – 13:04)

• Ben Max frames Adams’s win as the end of a multi-year mayoral campaign.

• Dr. Greer expresses uncertainty about Adams’s core policy intentions:

  • He’s given general support on big issues (vaccine mandates, education, policing) without committing to specifics.
  • Adams’s “wave you’re trying to pin across the sand”—hard to pin down on concrete positions.
  • As a former cop, Adams’s relationship with the NYPD presents a unique dynamic.
  • His governing team and alliances remain uncertain.

  "Eric Adams is a bit of a hologram to me right now ... I’m not exactly sure." (Dr. Greer, 09:49)

5. The Challenges Facing Adams’ Administration

(13:04 – 18:12)

• Ben Max: Adams needs to deliver on gun violence reduction and fairer policing—his major campaign promise.

• Harry Siegel:

  • Stresses how Adams, unlike de Blasio, is deliberately not pinning himself down on specifics.
  • On closing Rikers Island: Adams is supportive in theory but non-committal on the detailed, controversial plan to build borough-based jails.
  • Adams’s tendency is to agree generally with all sides, making it unclear what he’ll prioritize.
  • His leadership style is “entertaining, intelligent ... thoughtful,” but leaves many questions.
  • Economic recovery could allow him an easy narrative; if challenges mount, he’ll need to make tough choices under scrutiny as the second Black mayor.

  "He's bowed where he said he supports closing Rikers. Great. He has not said... I sign on to the plan..." (Harry Siegel, 15:00)
  "I think Adams took that lesson and is very consciously avoiding getting pinned on almost any of this..." (Harry Siegel, 14:04)

6. Lessons from Dinkins & de Blasio—and the Racial/Class Dynamic

(18:12 – 26:43)

• Ben Max & Dr. Greer:

  • Contrasts Adams with David Dinkins (NYC’s first Black mayor) and Bill de Blasio.
  • Adams’ “beautiful mosaic” coalition differs from Dinkins’s.
  • Adams is positioning himself as an “everyman,” hardscrabble type vs. Dinkins’s patrician image.
  • Black mayors often have complicated relationships with NYPD; Adams’s background as a cop might alter that dynamic.
  • Press coverage may at times be racially biased, but note the danger of Adams using race as a shield from legitimate criticism.

  "There needs to be a clearer conversation that, yes, he is still a black mayor...and so there will be times where I think that there will be coverage that is quite honestly racist, that Eric Adams will call out and say as such, but we also have to be careful where Eric Adams might also lean on that labeling at times when he needs to be called out and doesn't want to be called out." (Dr. Greer, 21:29)

• Harry Siegel:

  • Reflects on Dinkins as careful around calling out racism, while Adams has been much more direct, even confrontational with the press and opponents.

  "David Dinkins also took real pains not to call things racist, generally, including things that I think pretty plainly were ... Whereas Adams has very loosely taken a number of shots..." (Harry Siegel, 24:07)

7. What to Watch Next: Transition & Early Moves

(26:43 – 28:07)

• Ben Max asks for one thing (besides police commissioner appointment) each guest is watching as Adams transitions.

• Dr. Greer:

  • Watching how Adams navigates political relationships and attention, especially with other prominent Brooklynites (e.g., Tish James, Jumaane Williams, Bill de Blasio) amid a gubernatorial primary season.

  "He will be the belle of the ball in a lot of ways, not just these next few months...So I'm curious to see how his relationship with Tish James and Jumaane Williams and Bill de Blasio ... sort of swirl around..." (Dr. Greer, 27:11)

• Harry Siegel:

  • Focused on what tangible agenda Adams will pursue in Albany while his political leverage is highest as incoming mayor.

  "While he's the belle of the ball, what does he want to leave the ball with? What's his agenda from Albany for this coming year?" (Harry Siegel, 27:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I just feel like [Eric Adams is] like a wave you're trying to pin across the sand." — Christina Greer (09:52)
• "This was the lowest turnout election since 1985 ... mostly because there were no surprises, there was no chance, really, of any surprises." — Harry Siegel (05:06)
• "We need to have some way to have competitive general elections, particularly because right now primaries are only open to registered Democrats and turnout is considerably lower." — Harry Siegel (08:36)
• "There will be times that the coverage is unfair. And then there's going to be times where the coverage is very fair. And we can't hide behind a racist narrative when it's not there..." — Christina Greer (22:45)
• "While he's the belle of the ball, what does he want to leave the ball with? What's his agenda from Albany for this coming year? Because he'll never have more leverage..." — Harry Siegel (27:54)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Election overview & main results: 00:30 – 02:56
• Discussion: Big takeaways & Black political centers: 02:56 – 05:02
• Voter turnout & primary system analysis: 05:02 – 08:51
• Eric Adams’s campaign, mandate, and ambiguity: 08:51 – 13:04
• Early priorities & governing challenges: 13:04 – 18:12
• Dinkins, de Blasio, and Adams’s race/class positioning: 18:12 – 26:43
• Transition watch & next steps: 26:43 – 28:07

Recap: Tone & Takeaways

The episode’s tone is candid, analytical, and at times skeptical—especially regarding the state of New York’s democracy, general election competitiveness, and the abundance of open questions about Eric Adams’s upcoming mayoralty. Both guests bring humor and depth to their perspectives, providing a nuanced sense of the stakes and uncertainties facing NYC as it transitions to a new mayor. The conversation highlights ongoing issues of voter engagement, the city’s political machinery, and the interplay of race, class, and coalition-building in its governance.

For full context, discussion, and sharp commentary on the future of NYC politics, this episode of Max Politics is essential listening for political observers and New Yorkers alike.