Who Will Lead Yonkers After Spano? The Race to Succeed the City's Longest-Serving Mayor Begins to Take Shape

With Mayor Mike Spano approaching the end of his fourth term, three City Council Democrats are among the potential successors attracting attention, while former Congressman Jamaal Bowman's name has also surfaced in political conversations. But with no formal announcements and the possibility of another change to term limits, the 2027 mayoral race remains an open question.

After nearly 16 years under Mayor Mike Spano's leadership, Yonkers could be approaching a significant political transition. With the city's longest-serving mayor nearing the end of his fourth term, attention is increasingly turning to who might lead New York's third-largest city next.

Spano, who took office in January 2012, has served longer than any other mayor in Yonkers history. Before becoming mayor, he spent approximately two decades representing Yonkers in the New York State Assembly.

But his time in office has also been accompanied by debate over how long an elected official should be allowed to serve.

In 2022, the Yonkers City Council voted to extend term limits from three four-year terms to four, allowing Spano to seek reelection in 2023. The change subsequently survived a legal challenge, with a state Supreme Court judge ruling in April 2023 that the extension did not violate the city's charter.

Under the current rules, Spano cannot seek a fifth consecutive term when voters return to the polls in 2027. Another legislative change could alter that, leaving the possibility of a different political landscape ahead of the election.

As attention shifts toward the city's political future, three familiar names have entered the conversation: City Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy, Council Majority Leader John Rubbo, and Sixth District Councilman Tim Hodges. Meanwhile, speculation about other potential contenders suggests the field could expand beyond City Hall.

Three Potential Successors Emerge

As City Council president, Lakisha Collins-Bellamy already holds a citywide elected position and occupies one of the most prominent roles in Yonkers government.

Her position places her among the public officials who could potentially seek the mayor's office in 2027. Although she has not formally announced a campaign, her citywide visibility and leadership role make her a notable figure in discussions about the city's political future.

John Rubbo, the City Council's majority leader and a local business owner, is another potential contender.

Like Collins-Bellamy, Rubbo has worked alongside the Spano administration and holds a prominent position in city government. While he has not formally declared his candidacy, his leadership role places him among the elected officials whose political plans could shape the upcoming contest.

Tim Hodges, who began representing Yonkers' Sixth Council District in January 2026, could also emerge as a contender. A retired Yonkers Police Department First Deputy Chief with 34 years of law enforcement experience, Hodges brings a different professional background to the conversation about the city's next mayor.

A lifelong Yonkers resident, Hodges has also held leadership positions at St. John's Riverside Hospital and in local civic organizations. His successful 2025 City Council campaign and longstanding ties to the community give him a political foundation, although he has not publicly declared an intention to seek the mayor's office.

Their potential candidacies raise an important question about the next chapter of Yonkers politics: Will the city's next mayor emerge from the political leadership that has governed alongside Spano, or will another candidate offer voters a different direction?

With three Democrats bringing different backgrounds and levels of experience to the discussion, an open mayoral seat could also set the stage for a competitive primary within the party itself.

Political Maneuvering Ahead of 2027

Neither Collins-Bellamy nor Rubbo has formally declared a mayoral campaign, but the prospect of an open seat is already drawing attention to controversies surrounding both officials.

Rubbo has faced scrutiny over regulatory violations involving his business interests. Records obtained by investigative journalist David McKay Wilson reportedly show that Yonkers Brewing Company, which Rubbo co-owns, has paid $6,950 in fines and penalties for 17 city licensing violations since he joined the City Council in 2018. He has also faced zoning violations involving a family investment property in New Jersey.

Rubbo has acknowledged the violations, describing the Yonkers licensing issues as an oversight and pointing to the regulatory challenges facing small-business owners.

Collins-Bellamy, meanwhile, has faced questions about her dual roles as City Council president and an attorney for the Municipal Housing Authority. An anonymous complaint addressed to state authorities alleges that she may have received compensation for hours spent performing City Council duties rather than working at the housing authority.

Those allegations remain unsubstantiated. It has not been independently established whether state authorities received the complaint or initiated an investigation. Collins-Bellamy maintains that her dual employment arrangements were cleared by the appropriate authorities and that the two positions are compatible.

Adding another layer to the controversy, Republican Council Minority Leader Mike Breen introduced proposed legislation in September that would prohibit certain city employees, including Municipal Housing Authority employees, from simultaneously holding elected office. If enacted, the measure could force Collins-Bellamy to choose between her two positions.

Breen maintains that the proposal is a good-government measure intended to address potential conflicts of interest. Collins-Bellamy has challenged that explanation, arguing that the legislation is politically motivated and directed at her potential mayoral ambitions.

The timing of these developments raises questions about whether political tensions are beginning to surface ahead of the 2027 election. As discussions about the mayor's successor intensify, two prominent Democrats who have worked alongside the Spano administration are facing separate questions about their professional and public roles.

Hodges' emergence as another possible contender could further complicate the political calculations. His background in law enforcement, public safety, and civic leadership distinguishes him from Collins-Bellamy and Rubbo, potentially giving voters another option should he decide to pursue higher office.

Another name beginning to surface in conversations about Yonkers' political future is former U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman, who represented New York's 16th Congressional District, including Yonkers, from 2021 to 2025.

While Bowman has made no formal announcement indicating an interest in the mayor's office, his continued involvement in local politics, including support for candidates in local elections, has kept his name in political conversations. Whether that activity signals any broader political ambitions remains unclear, but the speculation adds another dimension to the developing discussion about who could succeed Spano.

Whether the disputes involving Rubbo and Collins-Bellamy will influence either official's decision to enter the race remains to be seen. But they have already introduced a contentious dimension to what could become Yonkers' first open mayoral contest in more than a decade.

A City Preparing for a New Chapter?

For Yonkers residents, the 2027 election could represent the first mayoral contest in more than a decade without Spano on the ballot.

After four terms under one administration, questions about development, housing affordability, public education, and the city's financial future are likely to feature in discussions about its next mayor.

There is also the possibility that additional candidates will enter the race. While Collins-Bellamy, Rubbo, and Hodges are among the names being discussed, speculation surrounding former Congressman Jamaal Bowman suggests the conversation could extend beyond current City Council members. Neither the Democratic nomination nor the eventual general election contest has been determined.

Much will depend on Spano's intentions, whether the existing term-limit rules remain unchanged, and which candidates ultimately decide to run.

For now, the prospect of a post-Spano administration has brought an early focus to the 2027 mayoral election. After nearly 16 years under the same mayor, Yonkers is approaching a potentially consequential decision about its next chapter.