The 2022 New York City Power 100: The rise and fall of political players

For years, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo landed at or near the top of the New York City Power 100 list, thanks to the way he maximized his leverage over the city – and consistently outplayed his longtime foil, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat rose higher than anyone else, from No. 87 in 2021 to No. 7 this year, thanks in large part to his endorsement of and alliance with New York City’s new mayor, Eric Adams. With no Latinos currently holding citywide office, Espaillat has emerged as one of the most influential Latino politicians in the city. What’s more, the Dominican American lawmaker has become the power broker in his northern Manhattan district, with his allies holding such key posts as Manhattan borough president (Mark Levine) and transportation commissioner (Ydanis Rodriguez) as well as a number of local legislative seats, including Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos and New York City Council Members Shaun Abreu, Carmen De La Rosa, Oswald Feliz and Pierina Sanchez.