Major labor organizations 32BJ SEIU and the Hotel and Gaming Trade Council (HTC) have endorsed Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar in her bid for re-election in the 38th Assembly District.
Rajkumar, who has held the seat since 2021, faces competition from progressive challenger David Orkin, who launched a campaign to primary Rajkumar late last year.
Rajkumar announced two major endorsements on Friday, asserting that it highlighted her commitment toward advancing economic opportunity and delivering results for working families in Queens.
Rich Maroko, president of the HTC, which represents hotel and hospitality workers across New York City, said the union had endorsed Rajkumar because she had been a “strong partner” to union members.
“We are proud to support her for re-election, and look forward to continuing to stand together and deliver for New York’s hospitality workers,” Maroko said in a statement announcing the endorsement.
John Santos, secretary treasurer of 32BJ SEIU, which represents property service workers across the city, said the union had endorsed Rajkumar because she had proven herself to be a “champion” of the working people.
“From protecting immigrant workers to supporting policies that strengthen working families, she has consistently stood with the labor movement. We are proud to endorse her for re-election,” Santos said.
Rajkumar, the first South-Asian woman ever elected to the state legislature, welcomed both endorsements, stating that she is “deeply honored” to receive the support.
“As a former workers’ rights attorney, I have spent my career fighting for dignity, fairness, and opportunity for working people,” she said in a statement. “I know how hard working families fight to build a better future. Together with organized labor, we are opening the doors of opportunity for every worker and every family across Queens.”
Orkin, an immigration rights attorney who has been backed by the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has also received support from DRUM Beats, an organization of South Asian community members that helped mobilize support for Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the 38th District during the mayoral election last year.
Orkin, who campaigned for Mamdani during the mayoral election last year, will hope to seize on the mayor’s support in the district, with Mamdani defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 40 points in the district in the Democratic primary last June.
“When the voters of District 38 voted for Zohran, they weren’t just voting for Zohran,” Orkin said. “They were voting for the affordability agenda and to tax the rich.”
Orkin has also been endorsed by the New York Working Families Party (WFP), while Rajkumar has picked up a number of endorsements from state officials, including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, State Sen. John Liu, Assembly Members Sam Berger and Nily Rozic and Council Member Lynn Schulman. U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks has also endorsed the incumbent.
