“Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election this spring will decide just one seat, but the contest already is shaping up as one of the most costly and contentious battles of the new year – with the control of the seven-member court and the fate of a 19th century abortion ban hanging in the balance,” CNN reports.

“Supporters of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo are mobilizing to boost him as he prepares to run for New York City mayor,” Politico reports.

“Charles Myers, an investment banker and consultant, sent a ‘save the date’ invitation for a March 4 Manhattan event billed as a ‘reception’ for the former governor — the clearest indication yet Cuomo is readying a mayoral bid.”

“Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is preparing to launch a widely anticipated campaign for New York City mayor by early March,” Jewish Insider reports.

“His timeline for entering the June primary is materializing as Mayor Eric Adams faces growing calls to resign amid new revelations, which he denies, that his legal team privately brokered a deal for the Justice Department to dismiss federal corruption charges in exchange for a vow to enforce the Trump administration’s immigration policies.”

“Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has quietly explored running in this spring’s Republican primary as he searches for a path to a second term,” the New York Times reports.

But he later told NBC New York that he “100 percent” will be seeking the Democratic nomination for a second term as mayor in June.

“Eric Adams may have dodged a federal corruption trial thanks to President Donald Trump, but their unlikely alliance risks destroying the New York City mayor’s support among a core group of Democratic voters,” Bloomberg reports.

A new Emerson College poll in New York City finds Andrew Cuomo leading the Democratic mayoral primary with 33%, followed by Eric Adams at 10%, Scott Stringer at 8% and Jessica Ramos at 6%.

Vice President JD Vance’s half-brother Cory Bowman has pulled petitions to run for Cincinnati mayor, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

“Iowa Democrats have flipped a state Senate seat vacated earlier this year by Chris Cournoyer, who resigned to become the state’s new lieutenant governor,” the Des Moines Register reports.

“Mayor Eric Adams, who has been laying low this week, hosted two union presidents at Gracie Mansion on Monday night as he contemplates his political future,” Politico reports.

“The meetings — confirmed by two people with direct knowledge of them, who were granted anonymity to freely discuss a private event — come as Adams grapples with an upcoming corruption trial, sagging poll numbers and dire financial problems.”

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) will endorse former Gov. James McGreevey (D) for mayor of Jersey City on Sunday, the New Jersey Globe reports.

“Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has $7.7 million in his state-level campaign finance account,” Politico reports.

“The warchest looms large over a potential Cuomo comeback. While he hasn’t publicly declared his intentions to run again, polling has found him with a sizable early lead in the New York City mayoral primary scheduled for June.”

“Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo trounces Mayor Eric Adams and other candidates in a Democratic mayoral field Cuomo has not yet entered — but his negatives are among the highest of the contenders, a third-party poll found,” Politico reports.

“The well-known Cuomo topped the candidates with 32 percent when likely Democratic voters were asked to choose a favorite candidate in what will be a ranked-choice election. Following him were former city Comptroller Scott Stringer at 10 percent; his successor Brad Lander at 8 percent; state Sen. Jessica Ramos at 7 percent; and Adams and state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani at 6 percent.”

CNN: “Elected governor three times before resigning in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations and fierce criticism over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cuomo is now privately describing his long-rumored and labored-over run for mayor as a near certainty.”

“He is also lining up campaign aides and pollsters, in part with the help of a former top adviser who beat him out the door of the governor’s mansion more than three years ago after deciding she could no longer defend him against the flood of sexual misconduct accusations that ultimately forced him out of office.”

“Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is turning to a longtime ally as he builds his likely campaign for New York City mayor, and he is considering a February rollout for the campaign,“ Politico reports.

“Cuomo is expected to hire Charlie King, a consultant whose relationship with the Democrat dates back decades. King worked for the former New York governor when Cuomo was housing secretary in the Clinton administration in the 1990s. Cuomo also tapped King as his running mate in an ill-fated bid for governor in 2002. The two men competed for the Democratic attorney general nomination in 2006, but they have nevertheless remained close.”

“Democrats retained control of Virginia’s General Assembly in special elections Tuesday, according to projections from the Associated Press, dimming Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s prospects for a big legislative legacy,” the Washington Post reports.

“Republicans could have upset the balance of power in Richmond — and given Youngkin (R) the chance to restrict abortion, fund private-school vouchers and advance the rest of his conservative agenda in the final year of his term — had they flipped two Loudoun County seats on the ballot.”

“The first special elections since President-elect Donald Trump won a second term are arriving on Tuesday in Virginia, where voters in three races will determine the majorities in the state’s legislature,” the New York Times reports.

“At first glance, the contests hold little mystery: Democrats have significant advantages in the State House district and one of the two State Senate districts that are up for grabs, while the other district in the upper chamber is all but certain to remain in Republican hands.”

“But even if there are no upsets, the margins of the races will provide the first hints of voter attitudes as Mr. Trump prepares to take office for a second time.”