New York City Council President Candidate Gains Union Support

The leading candidate for New York City Council president received new backing from unions on Monday, which indicates a potential strategy to counter Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani.

Julie Menin, a Democrat representing Manhattan’s Upper East Side, identifies as Jewish and aligns with a moderate pro-Israel stance. This positioning helps balance her against Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist and is vocal in his criticism of Israel.

Menin announced Wednesday that she has garnered significant backing within the 51-member council in anticipation of the January 7 vote. On Monday, she added endorsements from the Transportation Workers Union, the New York City Central Labor Council, and the AFL-CIO.

“Julie Menin has shown a deep understanding of the challenges that working people face in this city,” stated Central Labor Council Chairman Brendan Griffiths.

The union expressed eagerness to collaborate with Menin and the City Council to enhance affordability and improve living conditions for the city’s workers, while also aiming to bolster unions and their members.

Interestingly, both unions had supported Mamdani in the mayoral race. Menin’s main competitor, Crystal Hudson, a Progressive Democratic representative from Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, has already accepted her defeat.

If elected, Menin would be the first Jewish City Council president, being the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. While she has previously supported various initiatives, including Holocaust education programs, her pro-Israel stance has put her at odds with Mamdani, who has made strong allegations against Israel.

Menin attends New York City’s Israel Day parade annually, a notable contrast to Mamdani’s refusal to participate.

When asked about her intentions regarding Mamdani, Menin chose not to frame it as a challenge, instead emphasizing shared policy goals in an interview with Politico. “We have mutual interests in affordability policies, such as expanding affordable housing and implementing universal childcare,” she mentioned. “I believe there’s significant alignment on an affordability agenda, and opportunities exist for us to push this forward.”

Menin has indicated that she will share more updates on board endorsements later this week.