[MUSIC]
Amina Srna: It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. I'm Producer Amina Srna, filling in for Brian today. Good morning again, everyone. The mayor's race wasn't the only hotly contested election this week, as I'm sure listeners of this show know. In City Council District 39, which includes the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and Kensington, the progressive incumbent Shahana Hanif faced a challenge from Maya Kornberg, whose campaign was backed by establishment Democrats and big money donors.
Hanif made history in 2021 when she became the first Muslim woman elected to the City Council, but as we've seen in the mayor's race, being a Muslim in city politics can be a double-edged sword. Kornberg cited excess focus on the war in Gaza as her reason for entering the race. Shahana Hanif ultimately won reelection with nearly 70% of the vote. She joins us now to briefly talk about her win, as well as Zohran Mamdani's, and her priorities for her second term. Councilmember Hanif, welcome back to WNYC.
Councilmember Hanif: Thank you.
Amina Srna: You faced big money in your race. The New York Times reports your challenger spent $400,000 through a Super PAC in part funded by "Uber and companies associated with Madison Square Garden." What's your assessment of how you won this race?
Councilmember Hanif: My team and I ran a campaign that [inaudible 00:01:51] compassion. We ran on affordability, making New York City more livable, and standing up against special interests. Uber and these corporate PACs, the charter school law did not win. I think it's really important to note that their messages of bigotry and hate did not resonate with voters. Our track record and positive vision for New York City did.
Amina Srna: You and Mamdani put out a ranked-choice voting explainer video in Bangla after cross-endorsing each other. Mamdani's campaign recruited an army of volunteers who knocked on 1 million doors. How much do you credit this kind of grassroots campaigning, both in person and on social media, with delivering wins for both of you against deeply funded campaigns?
Councilmember Hanif: Zohran's campaign [inaudible 00:02:57] a master class [inaudible 00:03:00] a strong comprehensive field campaign. The Bangla video together, it's just one where he created content in to ensure that we were expanding the electorate. That is what the Democratic Party should be focused on. To know that many more people voted than they did in 2021 is a demonstration of how successful and creative his campaign was to ensure that New Yorkers come out for an important, urgent race.
Amina Srna: Kornberg was looking to unseat you due to what she characterizes as your "disproportionate focus" on Israel's war in Gaza, as well as your "public divisive stances" on the issue. In the mayor's race, we also saw Mamdani taking incredible heat for his stances against the government of Israel. Why do you think this issue became such a focal point in both your race and the mayoral election?
Councilmember Hanif: I would honestly say that what we've learned through the results is that my district is incredibly civically engaged and saw through the attempts to mischaracterize me as something that I'm not. The results show very clearly that folks are aligned with progressive candidates who are fighting for working families, who are prioritizing education and smaller class sizes, universal childcare from 2K to 3K to pre-K, and pushing back against Trump at this moment of hostility toward our immigrant communities.
Amina Srna: You don't have a Republican challenger in the November general election, so you'll be returning to the City Council for a second term. What are you hoping to accomplish for your district and the city more broadly this time around?
Councilmember Hanif: I will be continuing to prioritize, making our [inaudible 00:05:13] more affordable. I agree with Zohran Mamdani that our rent-stabilized tenants should be protected with the rent freeze. I'm committed to building more housing that's truly affordable, and that we expand tenant power. Of course, I mentioned the importance of universal free public child care, keeping our libraries open seven days a week, and ensuring that CUNY is strong, I'm a proud CUNY graduate, and protecting our communities from Trump.
I have a piece of legislation, the New York City Trust Act, which would end illegal local collaboration with ICE. We need to have leaders who are strong, tried, and tested to push back against Trump's divisive agenda.
Amina Srna: Well, we look forward to speaking with you then. Shahana Hanif, New York City Council member, representing District 39, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, and Kensington. Councilmember, congratulations on your win.
Councilmember Hanif: Thank you.
Copyright © 2025 New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use at www.wnyc.org for further information.
New York Public Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline, often by contractors. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of New York Public Radio’s programming is the audio record.
