Julie Menin Declares Early Victory in NYC Council Speaker Race, Citing 35 Pledges

City Council Member Julie Menin announced Wednesday that she has secured pledges from 35 council members — a supermajority in the 51-member chamber and well above the 26 votes needed to claim the speakership. If those pledges hold at the Jan. 7 vote, Menin would become the next City Council speaker and a likely counterweight to mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

'With this broad five-borough coalition, we stand ready to partner with mayor-elect Mamdani’s administration and deliver on a shared agenda that makes New York more affordable through universal childcare, lowers rent and healthcare costs, and ensures that families across the city can do more than just get by,' Menin said in a statement.

Menin released a roster of 35 supporters and brief quotes from each, signaling a coalition that draws largely from outside the Council's Progressive Caucus and includes moderate Democrats and several Republicans. Her principal rival had been Brooklyn Council Member Crystal Hudson, who counted many progressives among her backers and received the endorsement of the health care workers' union 1199SEIU.

Representatives of DC 37, the city's largest municipal union, reportedly urged some council members to delay confirming support for Menin, but Menin's list of pledged lawmakers continued to grow through the morning. Supporters credited with helping assemble her coalition include unions such as the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC) and 32BJ, political leaders such as Rep. Gregory Meeks and state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, and early allies like Council Member Shaun Abreu. Council Member Christopher Marte, previously a contender, has since pledged his support to Menin.

Timing, Tactics and Reaction

Menin's declaration is unusually early — the earliest claim of victory in the modern council era dating back to 1986. By comparison, the current speaker, Adrienne Adams, secured her support on Dec. 17. The official vote to select the next speaker is scheduled for Jan. 7, leaving several weeks during which opponents could try to shift loyalties.

Some council members criticized the push to lock down commitments, describing last-minute outreach as aggressive. 'It was a late-night, strong-arm bully play that started by my count, last night, and I think it was sort of a bluff that worked to bank a bunch of numbers,' one Democratic council member said, speaking anonymously about internal deliberations. Others framed Menin's moves as disciplined coalition-building.

Background on Menin

Menin, 58, has a long record in New York City government. A former corporate lawyer, she first rose to prominence as chair of the Lower Manhattan community board after the Sept. 11 attacks. She later served in Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration leading the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and directed the city’s 2020 census effort.

She did not endorse a mayoral candidate in the general election and declined to back Mamdani after his primary victory, saying it would be inappropriate for a speaker candidate to take sides. Still, Menin and Mamdani share some organized labor allies — ties that could help reduce friction between the incoming mayor and a Council led by Menin.

The campaigns for Crystal Hudson and Mamdani's transition team declined to comment. Other council members who had been in the running for speaker included Amanda Farías and Selvena Brooks-Powers.