Speaker candidates project strength at Somos

’Tis the season for packed conference rooms and upscale chain restaurants, flowing drinks and hors’ d’oeuvres and aggressive jockeying to be elected the second-most powerful person in City Hall. Welcome to the City Council speaker’s race at Somos. 

And boy, did the candidates get off to the races on Thursday. The two leading contenders for speaker each held their own receptions on Thursday night – Council Member Julie Menin’s in a steakhouse and Council Member Crystal Hudson’s in a hotel event space. At Menin’s party, sliders were on offer and waiters never let guests’ wine glasses get too low. At Hudson’s, attendees emptied constantly appearing trays of passed apps and stood on line at a stand-up bar. The receptions, in other words, can be heavy on the window dressing.

But speaker receptions are not really for making deals or hashing out candidates’ all-important vote counts. (Speaker campaigns hope to make that progress during daytime meetings here in Puerto Rico.) Instead, the receptions are, at least in part, a way for candidates to project strength. Ask supporters of either Menin or Hudson, and they’d tell you the wind is at their candidate’s back. 

A couple dozen council members and incoming members who will have a vote in the speaker race attended the parties: Menin reported 26 and Hudson reported 24. Attendance is far from a full accounting of support, particularly when both receptions competed with a marquee event featuring Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. And multiple members attended both parties – including Kevin Riley, who is on record supporting Menin, or incoming members Justin Sanchez and Elsie Encarnacion, and Progressive Caucus members Sandy Nurse, Althea Stevens and Nantasha Williams. Even candidates who are running their own speaker campaigns and will host their own receptions on Friday attended one or both of Thursday’s events. Chris Marte was at both, while Selvena Brooks-Powers and Amanda Farías were at Hudson’s. Former speaker candidate Carmen De La Rosa was also at Hudson’s event.

Menin’s party was heavy on labor and county leaders: Hotel and Gaming Trades Council President Rich Maroko and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten spoke, and Rep. Adriano Espaillat and Bronx Democratic Party leader and state Sen. Jamaal Bailey were in attendance. But Menin’s biggest hype-man of the night was Queens Democratic boss and Congress Member Greg Meeks. He was already understood by many inside and outside the race to be supportive of Menin, but Meeks spoke publicly about her candidacy for the first time on Thursday, heaping about as much praise onto her as one can before actually uttering the words “I endorse…”

“The reason why I love Julie so much is what she’s done her entire life,” Meeks said. “It’s about pulling the people together.” 

Meeks’ support of Menin also fits with the orthodox view of the race at this stage – that the progressive Hudson would be a stronger partner to Mamdani than the more moderate Menin. (Meeks endorsed Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary and did not endorse in the general election.)

Hudson’s reception was hosted by the Legal Aid Society and Robinhood, whose leaders praised her as a “fierce advocate.” Also in attendance: Department of Housing Preservation and Development Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani and Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr.

 “This is all about the future of New York City, the future of the people who are most vulnerable among us, the people who are most marginalized among us,” Hudson said. “We are in a pivotal political moment – globally, nationally, locally. I’m excited for the opportunity to potentially lead the council.”

And though she didn’t take the mic at Hudson’s event, current City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams cut an understated guest-of-honor figure, receiving a shoutout during Hudson’s remarks. 

As Adams knows better than anyone, the speaker’s race can turn on a dime. “I think Crystal would make an outstanding speaker,” Adams told City & State, though she didn’t single out any one candidate she is supporting. She said she hoped to make other speaker receptions this week, but she wasn’t at Menin’s. (She was at the Mamdani event around the same time.)

Still, Adams didn’t totally rule out endorsing in the race for her successor, though not until later. 

“Well, no endorsements tonight,” she said on Thursday.

Up next? Even more speaker receptions on Friday and Saturday.