Zohran Mamdani would be smart to stay out of Council speaker race
Zohran Mamdani should stay out and stay away from the contest to elect the new city council president. Four years ago, after being elected mayor, Eric Adams tried to push his preferred candidate for president and it blew up in his face and it created a feud with the winner that lasts to this day.
Bill de Blasio managed to help his preferred candidate secure the president’s gavel after his election as mayor in 2013, but that made it difficult for that president, who then sought to try to show his independence from the mayor.
Mamdani would be better off letting the members of the 51-member legislative house decide this issue without any help or advice from him.
During his successful primary and general election campaigns, both of which were closely fought (which is extremely rare), Mamdani was very disciplined and remained focused. Even on housing election issues that would properly strip the Council of its local veto on land use issues, Mamdani kept his own council (which was a YES vote) until Election Day.
Keeping quiet was his strategy and he should use it again until the new speaker is chosen, then congratulate the winner.
If there’s anything the new mayor has clearly demonstrated, it’s that he has keen political instincts, and this was further illustrated at the Somos conference in Puerto Rico last week by dodging the question of his preference for Council President. Well, stick to that.
Supporting an elected or unsuccessful candidate for president has drawbacks, as the last two mayors have noted. This is a winless game, meaning you can only win by not playing.
Regardless, Mamdani should have his work cut out for him in preparing for a transition and planning an administration capable of tackling the important issues before him, not only implementing his own agenda (which we hope goes beyond buses, daycare, rent, and grocery stores), but also the increasingly bitter struggles with a federal government that seems intent on damaging the city’s finances and harming its people.
There is a significant chance that Mamdani and the new president will be forced to face significant cuts in federal dollars from a vengeful Donald Trump.
Even though Mamdani is the first mayor to win more than a million votes in an election since the 1960s, that doesn’t mean he should try to throw his political weight into this presidential race. There would simply be too many problems that could arise if he stuck his nose in Council affairs. And he will have a lot to do as mayor.
The housing ballot proposals that were approved by voters will give this mayor (and future mayors) more power over land use issues, which was necessary because Council members have concerns that are often too parochial instead of reflecting the mayor’s broader vision.
Mr. Mamdani, use these tools to accelerate housing development. You may not win any friends on an often recalcitrant Council, but New Yorkers will thank you. Adams asked voters these questions because the Council was repeatedly saying no. Mamdani and New Yorkers are fortunate that the days of local vetoing of affordable housing projects are now over.
While Council members vie for leadership, it is best for Mamdani to focus on establishing his own administration and his own projects.
