Will guns factor into New York's elections this year?

And Thursday Reads to catch up on the news of the week.

Good afternoon — it’s Thursday and National Bologna Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• Do voters in New York care about guns in this year’s elections?

• Who’s Jim Walden, the attorney running for New York City mayor?

• Inside NY-17: the race between Mike Lawler and Mondaire Jones

• Thursday Reads: catch up on this week’s news in politics and government

• Bills Passed But Pending: doulas in hospitals, veterans’ liaisons

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Guns seized by State Police in 2023 (Will Waldron/Times Union)

🚨 Do N.Y. voters care about gun laws this year?

A federal appellate court on Thursday upheld most of the law around concealed carry that was enacted in New York two years ago.

Two restrictions remain on hold in the court’s decision: whether the state can use someone’s social media to judge their character or bar guns on private property open to the public. Those go back to a lower court for more litigation.

But as I was trying to read the 249-page decision, I wondered if anyone really cared about the outcome at a time when what many say will be the most important election of their lifetime is just around the corner.

Two issues have dominated elections in New York this year: abortion and immigration.

Democrats have tried to frame Republicans as anti-abortion zealots while Republicans have tried to frame Democrats as soft-on-crime socialists. In some races, those claims have even been blatantly false.

But you probably already know that — either from reading CapCon or seeing the relentless barrage of ads featuring federal races. It will be over soon. It’s less than two weeks until I get to watch Jeopardy in peace.

One issue that hasn’t really risen to the forefront of this year’s elections is the restriction of guns.