Julie Menin Secures City Council Speakership, Setting Up Potential Clash with Mamdani

Moderate Manhattan Democrat announces support from 36 council members, positioning herself as check on progressive mayor-elect

Early Victory in Critical Leadership Race

Manhattan Councilmember Julie Menin declared victory in the New York City Council speaker race on Wednesday, announcing she had secured commitments from 36 of the body’s 51 members. The announcement comes more than a month before the official vote, which won’t occur until the Council’s January 7 organizational meeting, but the public commitment from a super-majority effectively ends the contest and establishes Menin as the city’s second-most powerful elected official.

The speakership carries enormous influence over city governance. The speaker controls which legislation reaches the floor for votes, manages a budget of approximately $120 billion, and negotiates directly with the mayor on fiscal and policy priorities. Menin’s victory positions her as both a potential partner and check on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s progressive agenda, a duality she has explicitly embraced throughout her campaign for the position.

According to reporting from City & State New York and Gothamist, Menin represents the Upper East Side and has positioned herself as a moderate Democrat willing to scrutinize Mamdani’s more ambitious proposals while also finding common ground on shared priorities like universal childcare and affordable housing.

Coalition Building and Union Support

Menin’s coalition includes mainstream Democrats, all five incoming Republican council members, and a handful of progressive members, demonstrating her ability to build support across the political spectrum. She secured endorsements from major labor unions including the United Federation of Teachers, 32BJ SEIU representing building service workers, the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, and the New York City District Council of Carpenters.

Notably absent from her endorsements was District Council 37, the city’s largest public sector union, which met with Menin on Wednesday morning but has not yet announced support. The union’s position matters both symbolically and practically, as DC 37 represents more than 150,000 city employees whose working conditions and contracts will be negotiated during the next term.

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), which has opposed Mamdani’s campaign promise of a rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments, welcomed Menin’s likely elevation to the speakership. This endorsement from the real estate industry highlights concerns among progressives that Menin may side with business interests over tenant protections and affordable housing expansion.

Progressive Opposition and Path Not Taken

Menin’s chief rival, Brooklyn Councilmember Crystal Hudson, represented the progressive alternative and was widely seen as more aligned with Mamdani’s policy agenda. Hudson secured support from 1199SEIU, the healthcare workers union, and backing from the Council’s Progressive Caucus, but ultimately could not build a winning coalition before Menin locked up commitments from the necessary majority.

The Working Families Party, a progressive political organization, held strategy calls earlier in the week urging progressive candidates including Hudson, Amanda Farías of the Bronx, Chris Marte of Manhattan, and Selvena Brooks-Powers of Queens to consolidate behind whichever candidate had the best chance of defeating Menin. However, these efforts failed to coalesce in time, and Marte ultimately joined Menin’s coalition.

Hudson conceded the race on social media, stating that her colleagues “have made their choice clear” while thanking those who supported her bid. Progressive Councilmember Shahana Hanif of Brooklyn suggested the fight might continue until the January vote, saying “We’re holding the line,” though most observers consider Menin’s victory secure given the public commitments.

Menin’s Record and Background

Julie Menin brings extensive government experience to the speakership. She previously served as director of the 2020 census for New York City, where officials feared Trump administration interference would result in an undercount. She also held positions as the city’s director of the Office of Consumer Affairs and as commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

Beyond government service, Menin has worked as a lawyer, small business owner, and community board chair. She is married to Bruce Menin, a real estate developer, and has three children. Her professional background and personal life connect her to both government operations and business interests, which shapes her moderate approach to city governance.

If elected speaker as expected, Menin would become the first Jewish speaker in City Council history, according to reporting from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. This milestone has particular significance given Menin’s advocacy on antisemitism and Holocaust education issues.

Jewish Leadership and Community Concerns

Menin, whose grandmother and mother survived the Holocaust before immigrating to New York City, has frequently advocated for Holocaust education and efforts to combat antisemitism during her council tenure. She marched in the Israel Day Parade in May 2025 to advocate for hostage release and traveled to Israel in February 2024 on a solidarity trip to visit Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

This record contrasts with Mamdani’s positions on Israel and Palestine. Mamdani has said he would not attend the Israel Day Parade or visit Israel as mayor, and his record supporting the BDS movement and past anti-Israel rhetoric concerned many Jewish voters during the campaign. The Park East Synagogue protest incident highlighted these tensions, with Menin and Mamdani offering different responses to demonstrations at houses of worship.

Research from American Jewish Committee polling shows increasing diversity of opinion within Jewish communities on Israel-related issues, with younger and more progressive Jews often holding views different from older generations and established communal organizations. Menin’s positions align with more traditional pro-Israel advocacy within the Jewish community.

Power Dynamics and Legislative Priorities

The relationship between Menin and Mamdani will define much of New York City governance for the next four years. While Menin has stated she stands ready to partner with Mamdani on shared priorities, she has also reportedly pitched herself privately as a check on his “radical” agenda, according to Daily News reporting.

Menin has suggested reviving the Council’s subpoena power while campaigning for speaker, a mechanism that could serve as oversight of mayoral actions. This potential investigative authority, combined with her control over legislation and budget negotiations, positions her to significantly constrain or enable Mamdani’s policy ambitions.

According to research from the Brennan Center for Justice, New York City Council speakers historically have wielded substantial power through control over committee assignments, legislative calendars, and discretionary funding allocations. Speakers can effectively prevent initiatives they oppose from advancing while prioritizing legislation they support.

Policy Areas of Potential Conflict and Cooperation

Menin and Mamdani both support expanding universal childcare, building affordable housing, and addressing healthcare costs, suggesting potential areas for cooperation. However, they likely disagree on the scale and approach to these initiatives. Mamdani has proposed transformative programs including government-run childcare centers, while Menin may favor more incremental approaches working within existing systems.

Their most significant potential conflicts may emerge around Mamdani’s proposed Department of Community Safety, which would dispatch social workers and mental health professionals to certain emergency calls instead of police. Menin has reportedly expressed skepticism about this proposal, and her support will be necessary for it to receive Council approval and funding.

Mamdani’s rent freeze proposal for rent-stabilized apartments also faces uncertain prospects given Menin’s support from real estate interests and more moderate position on housing policy. While both support affordable housing expansion, they may differ on whether protecting existing tenants or encouraging new construction should take priority.

Historical Context of Council-Mayor Relationships

New York City has experienced various dynamics between mayors and council speakers. Some pairs have maintained productive partnerships despite ideological differences, while others have engaged in bitter conflicts that paralyzed governance. The most effective relationships typically involve clear communication, respect for institutional prerogatives, and focus on shared goals.

According to analysis from Gotham Gazette, speakers often walk a delicate line between supporting mayoral initiatives and maintaining independence to represent Council priorities. Menin faces the additional challenge of representing a super-majority coalition that includes Republicans and moderate Democrats alongside some progressives, each with different expectations.

Mamdani’s Response and Strategy

Mamdani has not publicly weighed in on the speaker race, though observers assume he would have preferred a progressive candidate like Hudson who shared more of his policy vision. Former Councilmember Carlina Rivera, now serving on Mamdani’s transition team, told reporters that the mayor-elect will work to ensure he has allies in the Council who share his goals but acknowledged Menin’s path to victory appears secure.

The mayor-elect’s team will need to develop strategies for working with a speaker who has positioned herself partly in opposition to his most ambitious proposals. This might involve focusing initial efforts on areas of agreement, building public support to pressure Council members, or accepting scaled-back versions of his agenda in exchange for Menin’s cooperation.

Implications for Democratic Party and Progressive Movement

The speaker race outcome represents a setback for progressive forces within New York City Democratic politics, demonstrating that winning the mayoralty doesn’t automatically translate to control over other governing institutions. The Working Families Party and progressive Council members failed to consolidate their position or prevent Menin from building a super-majority coalition.

This reality may temper expectations about how quickly and comprehensively Mamdani can implement his campaign promises. Even with control of the mayor’s office, institutional constraints including an ideologically diverse Council and speaker skeptical of his most transformative proposals will shape what proves achievable during his term.