Now that Election Day has wrapped up, management at City Hall is in full transition mode with Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani picking out his starting lineup team. In the meantime, Eric Adams is on a fast track for his exit from the mayoralty in just two months.
With the exception of Hugh John Grant, who was elected mayor at age 30 in 1888, Mamdani will be the youngest man ever to lead New York City. His win is also indicative of a larger trend of diverse Democrats that swept key races nationwide, fueled by youthful voters, particularly women under 30.
Not one to slouch on Nov. 5, Mamdani immediately started announcing his transition team and fundraising efforts. He then headed to the influential SOMOS political conference in Puerto Rico to continue rubbing elbows with city and state advocates, consultants, and elected officials.
Credit: (Contributed by Mamdani’s campaign)
“These leaders alongside me are only the first of many that we announce,” continued Mamdani. “I hope their reputations and records of accomplishment are proof of intent to deliver tangible change. This is a moment of opportunity that comes along rarely, and we seize upon it to usher in a new day for New York.”
His all-women transition team features political mainstays from former mayors Bill de Blasio and Adams’ camp, including former First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer; Grace Bonilla, who was the first executive director of the city’s Task Force on Racial Equity and Inclusion; budget and social service expert Melanie Hartzog, and political strategist Elana Leopold. But his team’s “biggest” appointment was former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, who was the nation’s leading antimonopoly champion under former President Joe Biden from 2021 to January 2025, as the transition co-chair.
“New Yorkers sent a clear message this week that it’s time to build a city that working people can actually afford. I’m excited to help Zohran build a team that will usher in a new era for New York City and set a new model for Democratic governance,” said Khan in a statement.
Advocates have lauded Khan’s appointment as a major statement to corporations and the city’s billionaires. There’s a cautious optimism that he is serious about delivering on campaign promises that many voters loved, such as free buses and a rent freeze, despite state opposition. Political strategists, like James Christopher of James Christopher Communications, said that it’s a good sign that Mamdani has opted to hire “seasoned veterans” on his team. It shows that he is open to advice from the “smartest people in the room” and won’t let political grudges from past administrations hold him up, said Christopher.
This week, Mamdani appointed Dean Fuleihan, a city budget director with a decades-long career, as First Deputy Mayor. And unsurprisingly, Elle Bisgaard-Church, his former chief of staff in the state assembly and chief advisor for his historic June primary win, was appointed as his future chief of staff.
“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to lead the campaign that brought hope back to New York City. Now, with sleeves rolled up, I look forward to delivering on the Mayor-elect’s affordability agenda and demonstrating what a well-run City Hall can do for everyday New Yorkers,” said Bisgaard-Church in a statement.
So far, Mamdani’s transition committee has raised about $517,000 from individual small donors, said the team.
Meanwhile, Adams, 65, has offered to rehire employees fired for failing to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in 2021, right before he was elected. This policy would apply to former City Hall staffers, public school staffers, and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) employees. Adams implemented a similar rehiring offer in 2023, resulting in about 450 former employees returning to work.
Adams has promised to “fully cooperate” with Mamdani’s transition team and seems thoroughly relieved that his time in office is coming to an end. He’s spoken on multiple occasions about an influx of job offers he’s weighing and looking forward to the opportunity to travel without constantly being surveilled by the media. He firmly stands by his record of lowering crime, upping jobs, and overall his handling of the city during a period of COVID-19 recovery.
While Adams congratulates Mamdani on his win, his overall sentiment toward him has been: “Don’t f*** it up.”
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