If the presidential election is declared for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump sometime after Wednesday morning, many of New York’s leaders may learn of that result as they schmooze in hotel ballrooms or lounge by the beach.The five-day Somos Puerto Rico conference kicks off in San Juan on Wednesday, marking the typical post-election start for an event that has evolved into a must-attend for New York lobbyists, nonprofit leaders and politicians across the city and state. Known as a hotbed of gossip and dealmaking, this year’s conference will no doubt be defined by the presidential election, as well as jockeying for the 2025 mayoral race and subsequent contest for City Council speaker.“You can miss a lot of galas and happy hours — you cannot miss Somos,” said Democratic consultant Trip Yang, who said the conference is an unparalleled opportunity to get face time with New York’s power brokers when they are not surrounded by legions of staff. “The people with big titles don’t have nearly as many gatekeepers at Somos.”A Harris win, of course, would set a jubilant mood in the halls of the host Caribe Hilton hotel, given New York’s overwhelmingly Democratic political class. A Trump victory would put a damper on the festivities — and any lingering uncertainty over the presidential victor would leave the conference in limbo. (Trump earned himself even less goodwill in Puerto Rico when a speaker at his Oct. 27 Madison Square Garden denigrated the territory as an “island of garbage,”... Continue reading at 'Crains New York'
[ Crains New York | 2024-11-05 10:48:20 UTC ]