UES Lawmaker Drops Out Of City Council Speaker Race

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Keith Powers dropped out of the race for City Council Speaker on Tuesday, joining three of his former rivals in an attempt to consolidate support behind another candidate.

Keith Powers, whose East Side district includes Carnegie Hill, Central Park South, Sutton Place and much of Midtown, withdrew after months of quiet campaigning that took him around the city, campaigning for incoming members in an effort to win their votes.

Though the well-liked Powers had been floated as a possible "consensus candidate," he dropped out Tuesday along with fellow contenders Diana Ayala, Justin Brannan and Gale Brewer. In a joint statement, all four threw their support behind Adrienne Adams, a Council member from southeast Queens.

The move was intended to boost Adams as she goes head-to-head with fellow Queens Councilmember Francisco Moya. Moya has the backing of Mayor-elect Eric Adams, whose allies have reportedly been working the phones in an effort to secure victory for his preferred candidate.

This has been one of the great experiences in my life — traveling the 5 boroughs to make a difference for the city I love.

We’re at a pivotal moment for the city’s future and I’m confident that @AdrienneEAdams1 is ready to lead us through the big challenges ahead. https://t.co/TVuSpIaTE0
— Keith Powers (@KeithPowersNYC) December 14, 2021

But in a confusing development, both Adrienne Adams and Moya said Tuesday afternoon that they had secured enough votes among their fellow members to be elected, leaving the race up in the air.

The Council will ultimately vote in January to choose its next speaker: a powerful office charged with setting the body's agendas and often serving as a check against the mayor.

Powers, 38, was re-elected last month to a second term representing District 4.