Although Council members are allowed to seek reelection, Carrión did not run for a second term. He had been rumored to be a leading candidate to become the next Speaker of the City Council, but he chose instead to run in the hotly contested 2001 election to succeed Bronx borough president Freddy Ferrer, who was at that time prevented under the City Charter from seeking a third term in office. He edged out then-Councilmember June Eisland and State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. for the Democratic nomination and then won the general election on November 6, 2001, with a landslide 79% of the vote. He easily won reelection in 2005 with 87%.