Ms. James, the first black woman elected to
citywide office, is a natural candidate for City Hall someday — though her historically close relationship with de Blasio makes her
less likely to challenge him directly in a primary than some of the other candidates bandied about, like Comptroller Scott Stringer or Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr..
Having strong pro-union voices in the other
citywide offices creates a line of defense for labor in the event de Blasio proves to be
less supportive than planned, sources said.