The New York Progressive Action Network (NYPAN) became the first organization to endorse Andrew Engel — an attorney, organizer, former public servant and union member — in his run for State Senate District 11 against 86-year-old incumbent Toby Ann Stavisky, who has served in office since 1999, in the Democratic primary.
Born and raised in a middle-class Jewish family in Floral Park, Engel said he is running as part of a growing progressive wave challenging entrenched political power in New York City.
According to Engel’s campaign website, AndrewEngelForNY.com, his platform includes plans to lower costs in Queens to address the affordability crisis, provide investments in community institutions such as schools to improve safety, and guarantee affordable healthcare for all.
“NYPAN is proud to endorse Andrew Engel for State Senate in District 11,” said Maria Ordoñez, political director of NYPAN. “He is fighting for working families, affordability, immigrant rights, and healthcare for all. Andrew’s commitment to his community reflects the kind of leadership that will uplift New Yorkers during this time. We believe Andrew will be a strong partner in the Legislature and a powerful voice for the people of District 11.”
In a statement, Engel said he was honored to earn NYPAN’s endorsement, which he emphasized has been at the forefront of legislative fights in Albany for the last 10 years.
“Senate District 11 needs a leader who will fight loudly and unapologetically for our neighbors,” he said in the statement. “The status quo isn’t working. From tackling the climate crisis, to building real public safety rooted in prevention and rehabilitation, to lowering the cost of living, I’m the only candidate in this race with a clear, detailed plan to deliver real change for working people.”
Engel’s website says he supports increasing taxes for the ultra-wealthy through several different tax policies that target only the highest earners in New York — not working-class families.
The website explains that currently, someone making $215,000 pays the same income tax rate as someone making $1 million, or even $5 million.
That is why Engel said he supports adding new top tax brackets so that only the wealthiest New Yorkers — roughly the top 5% — will have to pay more, generating an additional $21 billion annually.
He also supports tax increases on capital gains income above $500,000 a year, which he said ensures Wall Street profits aren’t taxed less than income earned by those who work, as well as a billionaires wealth tax that ties taxes to assets such as stocks, operating similar to property taxes.
Engel noted the Trump Administration continues to direct Immigration and Customs Enforcement to terrorize communities, which is why he supports the New York For All Act that would prohibit and regulate the discovery and disclosure of immigration status.
He explained that the bill does not prevent federal immigration authorities from doing their job or from arresting people who commit crimes, but it would prevent state and local resources from being used to carry out “a cruel and harmful federal deportation agenda.”
Engel said he would also condemn and address rising Islamophobia in District 11, which the Center for the Study of Organized Hate said had intensified significantly ahead of the 2025 mayoral election.
“Our community deserves someone who will call out bigotry wherever it appears and stand up immediately — not when it’s politically convenient,” Engel said.
Engel supports the New York Health Act, introduced by Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried in 1991 and currently sponsored by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, which intends to provide universal healthcare for all New York residents.
If passed, the bill would eliminate private insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays by creating a single-payer system that allows New Yorkers to choose their own providers and receive coverage for all medically necessary care.
Engel has committed to refuse corporate Political Action Committees, fossil fuel and real estate contributions, all while fighting for the needs of working families by advocating for policies including universal healthcare and childcare.
His late grandparents, Steve and Thelma Engel, were civil rights activists who marched with Martin Luther King Jr., became Freedom Riders, protected the first Black family in their Long Island neighborhood, helped found the New York Civil Liberties Union, and won a landmark Supreme Court case against the Herricks school district that enshrined students’ constitutional rights.
Engel said he vows to carry forward their legacy, standing up for those under attack and fighting for justice today.
“This campaign isn’t about me — it’s about all of us,” Engel said. “I’m committed to reaching every corner of our district, in every language, to build a coalition that reflects who we are. Senate District 11 is ready for bold leadership that fights for our future, not one that protects the past.”
For more information about Andrew and the campaign, visit AndrewEngelForNY.com or visit his profile on all social media platforms, @AEngelNYC.
