With Nadler retiring after more than three decades in Congress, unions representing performers see what they call a "rare opportunity to elect a true live arts champion" to the seat that's home to Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Broadway, Madison Fernandez writes in.

The Actors' Equity Association, Local One IATSE, Local 802 AFM and the American Guild of Musical Artists last month sent its "NY12 Live Arts Agenda" to candidates running to succeed Nadler, including Lasher, state Assemblymember Alex Bores and Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg, who are seen as top contenders for the seat. It's the first time these unions have joined forces to craft a policy agenda for a race in the city. The agenda in part outlines supporting the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, pushing for $1 per capita in federal arts funding by 2028 and enacting protections against artificial intelligence. The groups have not yet issued an endorsement in the primary.

The unions asked candidates to respond directly to the policy or post about it on social media — which only Lasher, a big theater fan, did.

Al Vincent, Jr., executive director of the Actors' Equity Association, said it was "powerful" to see Lasher be "willing to say out loud what we're looking for, which is to have a voice at the table on the federal level."

The other congressional hopefuls also got on board. After Playbook reached out to Schlossberg's campaign for his take on the policy, his campaign told the unions that he "strongly supports" it. In a statement to Playbook, a spokesperson for his campaign said that "Jack is a huge supporter of the arts and recently called out Timothée Chalamet for dissing ballet. He'll be the congressman the arts wants to fight — and dance."

Bores also expressed his support in a statement to Playbook, citing his growing up "on picket lines fighting for the many priorities shared by Actors' Equity and the unions who make our theater industry great."

"I know the difference between politicians who pay lip service to labor and those who actually fight alongside workers,"" he said. "I'm proud to support and be a partner in their agenda for more federal arts funding, fairer wages, better benefits, a more secure retirement, and protection from discrimination."

While support for the arts may not be the top issue for voters come this June, Vincent said he hopes the candidates can make the case that it ties back to a topic that is top of mind: affordability.

"The arts community acts as an economic catalyst," he said. "When we do well, other industries do well."

This article originally appeared in Politico's New York Playbook for April 13, 2026.