Corey Johnson Will Be Next NYC Council Speaker, Reports Say

NEW YORK, NY — Corey Johnson will be the next speaker of the New York City Council, according to news reports published Wednesday. The Chelsea councilman has secured enough votes to win the internal race for the Council's top post, second in power only to the mayor, Politico New York and NY1both reported.

Johnson is among eight Democrats vying to replace Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who is term-limited out of office this year.

The Council's 51 members will not officially choose a speaker until the new term starts in January. But Johnson has reportedly brokered deals with the influential Bronx and Queens Democratic Party leaders to lock up enough votes.

Those political leaders reportedly exert a large amount of control over how Council members vote in the speaker's race. U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley, the Queens County Democratic leader, and state Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, the Bronx leader, have sway over the largest blocs of votes, have lined up behind Johnson, NY1 reported.

The other speaker candidates include Councilmen Mark Levine, Ydanis Rodriguez, Robert Cornegy, Jimmy Van Bramer, Ritchie Torres, Donovan Richards and Jumaane Williams.

If elected, Johnson would be the first male speaker in 12 years. The job would give him significant control over legislation and the Council's policy priorities.

Johnson is a self-described progressive Democrat who was the youngest community board chair in the city before his election to the Council. He won his Manhattan seat in 2013, replacing Christine Quinn, who was then the outgoing speaker.

Patch has reached out to Johnson's office for comment. We'll update this story if we hear back.

(Lead image: City Councilman Corey Johnson speaks at the Empire State Building in November 2015. Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)