Mamdani Faces Crucial Battle Over Next NYC Council Speaker

By Manisha Sahu | America News World | November 11, 2025

As New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani begins preparing for his historic term, attention has shifted from his victory celebration to a looming political showdown — the race to become the next New York City Council Speaker. The outcome of this contest will determine who becomes Mamdani’s most crucial ally — or potential challenger — in shaping the city’s future.

Last week’s SOMOS Puerto Rico conference in San Juan, the annual gathering of New York’s political class, offered a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes maneuvering underway. At the lavish Caribe Hilton, where power brokers mingled over $69 New York strip steaks, two competing receptions revealed the sharp divide among council members.

On one side, Julie Menin, a Manhattan council member and former city official, drew a crowd of 27 council members to her reception, many of whom may back her bid for the powerful speaker’s chair. Across the resort, Crystal Hudson, a progressive council member from Brooklyn, hosted a rival reception with an equally strong showing — also 27 members. Some attendees were spotted making quick appearances at both events, underscoring how delicately balanced the speaker’s race has become.

The Power Behind the Position

The City Council Speaker is the second-most powerful political role in New York City, controlling the legislative agenda, budget negotiations, and oversight of the mayor’s administration. For Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor and a rising star in national progressive politics, the choice of speaker could define his ability to deliver on promises of affordability, equity, and reform.

“The speaker will set the tone for how City Hall and the council work together,” said one Democratic strategist attending SOMOS. “If Mamdani gets a partner who aligns with his agenda, his first year could be transformative. If not, it could be a gridlock.”

Menin vs. Hudson: Two Visions of Leadership

The race has effectively narrowed to two frontrunners — Julie Menin and Crystal Hudson — both Democrats but with sharply different ideological profiles.

Menin, 58, represents the Upper East Side of Manhattan and is viewed as a moderate. A veteran of several city administrations, she previously led the city’s census efforts under former Mayor Bill de Blasio and has a reputation for administrative skill and political pragmatism. The New York Post endorsed her as a steady, centrist choice who could balance Mamdani’s progressive instincts.

“I’m ready to unite the council and work with the mayor to create a more affordable city that can withstand the challenges we face from Washington,” Menin said. She emphasized collaboration on key issues like child care and affordable housing, while touting her record of defending the city against federal attacks during the Trump administration.

If elected, Menin would also become the first Jewish speaker in New York City history — a symbolic milestone amid rising concerns about antisemitism. Some Jewish community leaders believe she could serve as a moderating counterpart to Mamdani, whose outspoken criticism of Israel has drawn controversy. Menin’s mother and grandmother were Holocaust survivors, and she has been active in combating antisemitism and promoting interfaith understanding.

Hudson’s Progressive Push

In contrast, Crystal Hudson, 42, represents central Brooklyn and belongs to the council’s progressive caucus. She was one of the first openly gay Black women elected to the City Council and has positioned herself as an ally of Mamdani’s left-leaning agenda.

Hudson said she wants to help the mayor-elect advance policies like universal child care and housing affordability, but she stressed that the council must remain independent.

“We’re not always going to agree on everything,” Hudson said. “It’s important to stand with members in moments of disagreement, respectfully, while maintaining a productive working relationship.”

Hudson’s bid received a boost when Carmen De La Rosa, a Dominican-American council member and Mamdani ally, dropped out of the race and endorsed her. “As women of color, we know what’s at stake — a federal administration standing on the necks of the most vulnerable communities,” De La Rosa said.

Hudson’s event in Puerto Rico attracted major progressive figures, including Richard R. Buery Jr., CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, and Twyla Carter, head of the Legal Aid Society. Even current speaker Adrienne Adams, whose term ends in January due to term limits, attended to show support.

Divisions and Drama

The race has not been without personal friction. Diana Ayala, a departing council member, publicly criticized Menin during a Friday night party — claiming Menin had once questioned her intelligence during the 2021 speaker race. Menin denied the allegation, responding, “We should be uplifting women, not tearing each other down.”

Ayala later declared herself part of the “Anybody But Julie” movement, arguing Menin did not understand the struggles of working-class New Yorkers. Yet others came to Menin’s defense. Bronx council member Kevin Riley praised her as “extremely helpful” in his district, while Queens members Linda Lee and Sandra Ung lauded her efforts to improve working conditions for hotel employees.

Political Muscle and Union Power

Unions and party bosses are quietly weighing in behind the scenes. Menin has secured backing from the influential Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, which also endorsed Mamdani during the mayoral campaign. Her reception at SOMOS included appearances by union titan Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who told attendees that Menin’s experience could help Mamdani “get stuff done.”

Meanwhile, Hudson was seen meeting with Henry Garrido, leader of District Council 37, the city’s largest municipal workers’ union — a potential sign of organized labor dividing its loyalties between the two camps.

Adding intrigue, the party chairs of the city’s four major Democratic counties — Keith L. Wright (Manhattan), Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (Brooklyn), Gregory Meeks (Queens), and Jamaal Bailey (Bronx) — were spotted huddling at a quiet SOMOS table discussing the speaker’s race. When approached by reporters, Wright joked, “This is like Mount Rushmore — not going to say anything.”

What Comes Next

When the newly elected council takes office in January, it will include 46 Democrats and five Republicans. The 51 members will vote to elect the next speaker, a decision expected to come early in the new year.

Mamdani, for his part, is staying neutral — at least in public. “I respect the council and the deliberations that they are making,” he said when asked whom he supports.

Political observers say the mayor-elect is wary of repeating outgoing Mayor Eric Adams’s mistake. Four years ago, Adams’s decision to back a speaker candidate early in the process alienated some council members and weakened his influence.

For now, the race remains wide open — a battle of alliances, ideology, and ambition. But one thing is clear: whoever wins the speaker’s gavel will shape the early success — or struggles — of Zohran Mamdani’s historic mayoralty.