With one week to go until the June primary election, Senator Leroy Comrie announced on Monday his support for Richard David for Assembly District 31.
“We need an Assembly member who will fight racism and help us heal generations of divide,” said Comrie, chair of the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions with oversight of MTA, among other important agencies. “An Assembly member who will bring more resources to help families recover from COVID-19 and keep small businesses open. We need someone who knows how to work with others since this is a legislative role. I can think of no one else but Richard David and I urge you to seize this moment to bring in new leadership.”
David, an activist and CUNY Indo-Caribbean Studies Professor at York College, launched his campaign in February to fill former Assemblywoman Michele Titus’ vacant southeast Queens seat representing District 31.
The district includes the neighborhoods adjacent to JFK Airport, including Arverne, Brookville, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Hammels, Richmond Hill, Rosedale, South Ozone Park, Springfield Gardens and Wakefield.
David said he’s honored to have Comrie’s support in an historic election.
“Senator Comrie is a community leader here in southeast Queens. We look up to him and admire his consistent guidance and initiative,” David said.
David has also received endorsements by Congressman Gregory Meeks, Assemblywoman Vivian Cook, the Queens Democratic Party and over a dozen unions and good governance groups.
David came to the United States as an undocumented dreamer and has lived in southeast Queens for 25 years. He has spent over 10 years working at senior levels of government. He was one of the youngest members of the community board and co-founded a youth-led social justice organization to bring resources to District 31.
Recently, David led the nonprofit desk at a private government relations firm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he has worked tirelessly to serve the hard hit communities of his district with food and resources.
David joins a crowded field of candidates in the running for assembly seat.
Those candidates include Khaleel Anderson, a Rockaway community board member and activist; Derrick DeFlorimonte, a member of Community Board 13 and a combat medic with the Army National Guard; Lisa George, a staffer from Senator James Sanders’ Rockaway office; Chiedu “Shea” Uzoigwe, a former staffer for Senator Sanders; and Tavia Blakey, a former staff for Assemblywoman Titus.
