A tiny battle is brewing to be the next NYC Council minority leader

There isn’t that large a pool of candidates to choose from to succeed New York City Council Member Joe Borelli as minority leader once he is term-limited at the end of 2025, nor will there be – barring a slew of major upsets next fall – more than a handful of lawmakers who will actually be voting on it. And yet, more than a year out, that very discussion is already heating up. 

Looking to possibly fill those big shoes are Council Members Joann Ariola and David Carr. 

Ariola was forthcoming about her aspirations when asked by City & State. “When we went into the second term – which is Minority Leader Borelli’s final term – I'm a big believer in a succession plan, and yes, I am very much interested in becoming the minority leader,” she said, noting that fellow Queens Council Member Vickie Paladino was “one of the first people to stand up and support (her) endeavor.” (Paladino didn’t get back to us in time for publication.)

Ariola emphasized, however, that Borelli’s time heading the caucus is by no means over. “Quite frankly, our minority leader is still there, and I’m not one to jump on anybody’s grave, but when the time comes, whether he gets a job or he’s just, his term comes to an end, then we will sit as a Republican caucus, and we will figure out what the next move is.” 

Carr reiterated that same point multiple times when asked about his potential bid.

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” he said after a pause. “You know, at this point … Joe is our leader – I don’t think we’re at a point where decisions need to be made about that. Like I said earlier, all my colleagues are treasured colleagues, and I’m sure at some point we’ll come together for a conversation.”

Gavin Wax, president of the New York Young Republican Club, characterized Ariola as really keen to replace Borelli come 2026. He said that she’s “in a brutal battle right now behind the scenes” with Carr for the position, adding that the club is backing the Staten Islander.

Carr, again, reverted back to the party line – “We have a minority leader, and his name is Joe Borelli” – when asked later how, if at all, Ariola’s bid impacts his thinking on his own. The Queens lawmaker, for her part, said Carr “is a dear friend of mine, and we go back a very long way.”

As minority whip, Council Member Inna Vernikov could also be considered the clear successor. Asked whether she is also vying for the promotion and, if not, who she would support for it, Vernikov said in a statement, “Minority Leader Joe Borelli has overseen the doubling of the Republican delegation in the Council, and it’s undisputed that whoever follows in his footsteps will have large shoes to fill.” 

But that was only before adding, not unlike her colleagues, “We are a united delegation, and the decision to choose Joe’s successor will be made in that same spirit of unity when the time comes.”

As for Borelli himself, when asked about said caucus members and any aspirations to take his office, the minority leader said, “I know nothing about it,” and, referring to his colleagues, “never heard of them.”