Holden’s deputy chief of staff to run for his seat
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Councilmember Bob Holden’s Deputy Chief of Staff Alicia Vaichunas (far right) is running with councilmember’s support for his seat in 2025. Photo via the office of City Councilmember Robert Holden
By Ryan Schwach
Alicia Vaichunas, the longtime deputy chief of staff to Councilmember Bob Holden, is running with her boss’s blessing for his term-limited seat.
Vaichunas officially announced her candidacy for the 30th Council District on Monday.
The Maspeth resident has worked for Holden for close to eight years, and has spearheaded constituent services in the office, among other efforts. She’ll run as a Republican. While her boss has been elected as both a Democrat and Republican, he has mostly voted in line with the Council’s Republicans since joining the legislature in 2018.
Vaichunas is the fourth candidate to file to run in the Western Queens district, but the only one to get the endorsement from Holden.
"Alicia has been by my side since the very beginning of my time as an elected official, and long before that," Holden said. "She fights hard for constituents and never accepts no as an answer. Alicia will be a phenomenal councilmember and will continue the great work my office has done during our nearly eight years there."
Vaichunas’ bid comes after rumours that her immediate supervisor, Holden’s Chief of Staff Daniel Kurzyna, would be running for the seat.
“Alicia has fought tirelessly for years and is best equipped to carry on the work of our office, ensuring our community’s needs are met with dedication and integrity,” Kurzyna told the Eagle. “While I deeply appreciate those encouraging me to run, Alicia is my choice to continue our shared mission.”
Vaichunas said that as a councilmember, she would “continue the great work of the best councilmember we've ever had, Bob Holden, and maintain the same level of constituent services and representation at City Hall that District 30 residents have gotten used to."
Vaichunas is joining a crowded field for what is expected to be one of the more closely watched Council elections this year.
Dermot Smyth, a political leader with the United Federation of Teachers, filed last year and is running with the full-throated support of the Queens Democratic Party and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. He currently has a balance of $40,883 in his campaign coffer.
Community member Paul Pogozelski has also filed to run.
Jonathan Rinaldi, a controversial Republican candidate who has run for multiple seats in the past several years, is also filed to run for District 30.
An earlier version of this story misidentified Paul Pogozelski.
