Assembly Member Steven Raga has launched a campaign to succeed outgoing state Sen. Michael Gianaris in the 12th Senate District, vowing to deliver “people-powered leadership” to working families if he is elected to the Senate.
Raga, who currently represents the 30th Assembly District including parts of Woodside, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Maspeth, announced his campaign to succeed Gianaris underneath the 46th Street-Bliss Street subway station in Sunnyside on Saturday, Feb. 21.
“Under the 7 train, the international express, we are at the crossroads of working life in Queens, where neighbors head out before sunrise and come home late at night, and where the people who keep this city running hold it all together,” Raga said in a statement announcing his campaign.
Aber Kawas, a Palestinian-American organizer who has been endorsed by the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has also announced a campaign to succeed Gianaris. Kawas had previously announced a campaign to succeed outgoing Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas in the nearby 34th Assembly District but pivoted to a Senate campaign after Gianaris announced earlier in February that he would not seek reelection.
Raga, meanwhile, announced that his campaign would fight for people who make western Queens their home, adding that the district is one of the most diverse regions in the city.
“It’s Little Manila along Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside. It’s Little Egypt along Steinway Street in Astoria. It’s your local Colombian bakery on Queens Boulevard. It’s rent-stabilized apartments and NYCHA, and it’s the street vendors and small businesses that keep our streets alive,” Raga said in a statement.
Several elected officials joined Raga beneath the elevated subway tracks to endorse him for Gianaris’s seat, including Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz.
Richards described Raga as “battle-tested” and said he is willing to fight for people “often left out” of political discourse.
“He’s shown that diversity is our strength here in Queens, and he’s been on the front lines in every battle I can think of,” Richards said in a statement. “He will not bow to ICE, and he will not bow to any authoritarian agenda coming out of Washington. He’s going to fight for what New York can do in Albany to protect our communities.”
Richards further stated that Raga would be a “force of nature” if he is elected to the State Senate and called on supporters “do the work” and knock on doors.
Cruz, meanwhile, credited Raga for fighting for the local community “for decades,” praising Raga for securing “much-needed” funding for schools and community initiatives during his time in the Assembly. She also touted Raga’s experience as an elected official and said he would help the state withstand “attacks” from the federal government.
“I have seen Steven’s commitment firsthand through our partnership to improve quality of life for our constituents, increase safety along Roosevelt Avenue, and support merchants and small businesses,” Cruz said. “Our neighbors deserve someone ready to defend them and fight back against Washington’s attacks, with the experience to do the hard work both in the community and in Albany.”
Former Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who was once rumored to be considering a run for Gianaris’s seat, also endorsed Raga at Saturday’s event.
“I know these streets, I know these neighborhoods, I know these communities, and I know what this district needs right now. I’m proud to endorse Steven Raga for State Senate,” Van Bramer said.
Raga, who is the first Filipino-American ever elected to the state legislature, also picked up an endorsement from Michelle Amor, president of the Filipino American Democratic Club of New York. Amor credited Raga with building Filipino representation and political power in New York State.
“Assembly Member Raga didn’t just join this movement, he helped build it,” Amor said. “He co-founded this club, mentored leaders, and helped grow an organization that is mobilizing Filipino Americans across New York State.”
