New York City’s mayor-elect installs a progressive ally atop the City Council.

De Blasio’s Speaker

by Seth Barron

Last week, mayor-elect Bill de Blasio, the New York City Council’s Progressive Caucus, and the Working Families Party (WFP) pulled off what—for the moment at least—appears to be a stunning coup. This powerful new alliance secured public pledges of support from enough city legislators to make Melissa Mark-Viverito of East Harlem the first Latina city council speaker in New York’s history. Mark-Viverito is a third-term councilmember from East Harlem and a longtime ally of de Blasio, whose support was crucial in elevating her above her rivals for the job. Assuming this new coalition holds, Mark-Viverito will be elected speaker on January 8.

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