Four Queens races dominate in recent campaign filing

Candidates in a quartet of Queens state legislature races have raised more than half a million dollars, according to recent finance followings.  Eagle file photo by Ryan Schwach

By Ryan Schwach

More than half a million was raised by candidates in four of Queens’ most competitive races for the state legislature over the last two months, new campaign finance filings show.

Candidates in two hotly contested Senate races and two Assembly races pulled in a combined $626,000 between Jan. 11 and March 12. The total is nearly double what all other candidates in all other state races raised in the same time period, according to finance data analyzed by the Eagle.

In Western Queens, Senator Jessica Ramos is outraising her two challengers – Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas and former elected Hiram Monserrate – in the race most flush with cash in Queens.

One district over, Democratic Socialists of America-backed Aber Kawas and Assemblymember Steven Raga are neck-and-neck in fundraising as they race to succeed Michael Gianaris in the State Senate.

The race to fill Raga’s seat has three candidates pulling in solid funding, including progressive Shamsul Haque who raised more in March than any other candidate in the World’s Borough.

In Southeast Queens, six candidates have raised significant sums to succeed retiring Assemblymember Vivan Cook, who has held the seat for 35 years.

This week, candidates filed campaign donations given to them between Jan. 11 and March 12 as they hope to be approved for public matching funds with three months to go until the primary. Should they be approved, candidates will receive $12 for every $1 dollar of the first $50 of every eligible donation they receive, a $9 to $1 match for the next $100 of a donation, and an $8 to $1 match for the final $100.

As a result, races where candidates have already begun to fill up their coffers, could see campaign accounts and spending soar in the coming months.

13th Senate District

No race in Queens has more money flowing per candidate than the 13th Senate District, which centers on the diverse communities of Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst and the Ditmars side of Astoria.

Ramos drew two challengers after a failed bid for the mayor’s office left her on bad terms with the city’s progressives. Her rejection of Mets owner Steve Cohen’s $8 billion casino project had also previously soured her relationship with more moderate Democrats in the borough.

However, her funding numbers are not reflecting the fall from grace that had been predicted for the once progressive insurgent.

Ramos raised $103,000 in March, and still holds about that much on hand.

The longtime chair of the Senate’s Labor Committee, Ramos still holds strong support with the city’s unions, which have donated thousands to her campaign.

“Yesterday’s filing shows something important, this campaign is building real momentum,” Ramos said, highlighting labor contributions. “We didn’t just compete, we were powered by thousands of working people across Queens who believe in the work we’re doing together.”

Ramos outraised Monserrate, her former boss, who pulled in just under $75,000 in the last month but has only around $2,000 less on hand than Ramos.

The former elected official who was expelled from office after a misdemeanor assault conviction is making another run for office, having focused his recent efforts on attempting to improve quality-of-life issues along Roosevelt Avenue.

“I am humbled and grateful to receive such support,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

González-Rojas is enjoying more institutional support than her opponents, with more high-level endorsements from people like Borough President Donovan Richards, but is currently falling behind in fundraising efforts.

She raised $55,000 in the latest funding window and still has about $70,000 left on hand.

González-Rojas’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment before print time.

12th Senate District

In the neighboring District 13, two dues-paying DSA members are seeking to fill Gianaris’ seat as the longtime deputy majority leader heads to retirement.

Kawas, a Palestinian organizer who switched to run for the Senate seat after previously making a bid for the Assembly, and Raga, who currently represents a portion of Western Queens in the Assembly, have raised nearly identical sums.

Both raised around $39,000 in the last period, with Kawas pulling in just around $500 more.

Kawas has $50,000 on hand to Raga’s $71,000

Raga’s campaign said they are projecting $163,000 in matching funds.

“In just two weeks after launching this grassroots campaign, and before holding a single fundraiser, we reached the threshold for public matching funds with support from more than 220 in-district donors across Senate District 12,” said Raga’s campaign. “We got there without special interest PAC money or corporate donations because this campaign is funded by and for the people of Western Queens.”

Kawas’ campaign said they are projecting to reach around $200,000 in total funding once matching funds are are added in.

"This gives us the ability to run a strong campaign to represent our district,” he campaign said. “We’re proud of the fact that this is a people-powered campaign, not taking a single dime from big real estate or corporate lobbyists."

A third candidate in the District 13 race, Sheryl Fetik, who ran for the City Council in 2021, has raised $1,226 and has $893 in the bank.

30th Assembly District

Raga’s bid at the upper chamber has left his Assembly seat open, and three Democrats and a Republican are vying for the seat.

Shamsul Haque, a former NYPD detective running on a progressive platform, has raised $117,000, more than any other candidate in Queens, and is expecting another $115,635 in matching funds, his campaign said.

“This campaign is being built by the people of our community,” said Haque in a campaign statement. “Our neighbors are stepping up because they want safer streets, stronger universal health care, and real opportunity for working-class people. This early momentum shows that our community is ready for leadership that will fight for everyday families and deliver real results.”

District Leader Patrick Martinez, who has the support of the Queens Democratic Party, and is the nephew of its former chairman, Joe Crowley, has raised $27,000 and has about that much left on hand.

Somnath Ghimire, a Nepali organizer, raised just shy of $26,000, and has $17,000 left in the bank.

“Our filing reflects a strong and disciplined fundraising operation,” Ghimire said. “Based on our current numbers, we expect to maximize matching funds and significantly increase our total as those are disbursed, putting us in a competitive position moving forward.”

32nd Assembly District

In Southeast Queens’ District 32, seven candidates are currently filed to succeed the retiring Cook, and six of them have filed fundraising numbers for the last deadline.

Tunisia Morrison, the former chief of staff to Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman and local organizer, has raised the most.

She pulled in $54,000 in the latest period and has $40,000 left in the bank.

Her campaign said she is also projecting $59,000 in additional public matching funds.

“Other candidates had been making calls for months, lining up commitments from the political class, their bosses, and special interests,” she said in a statement. “But those are the same leaders who have been at the wheel while prices climb, rent keeps rising and wages remain stagnant. Southeast Queens has always shown that when we build from the bottom up and not the top down - progress happens.”

Not far behind her in fundraising is Nathaniel Hezekiah, a longtime staffer to Congressmember and party chair Greg Meeks.

Hezekiah raised around $48,000, and has $38,000 left in the bank.

Hezekiah said his campaign expects to reach around $111,000 raised when matching funds hit.

“We are only just beginning and I will continue to raise the resources necessary to run a robust campaign,” he said.

Cook’s former staffer Latoya LeGrand, who ran for the City Council last year, raised just under $16,000, and has $14,000 in the bank.

Those three candidates, Morrison, Hezekiah and LeGrand, are splitting most of the race's funds and high-profile endorsements.

Hezekiah, who was endorsed by the Queens County Democratic Party, has Meeks’ support, and has also received donations from Hyndman, State Senator Leroy Comrie, Adrienne Adams and newly elected Councilmember Ty Hankerson.

LeGrand has the endorsement of Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson, and a donation from State Senator James Sanders.

Mohammad Molla, the first person to file in the race, has raised $14,500, and has around $11,000 left; Queen Johnson, who ran for Congress in Brooklyn, raised just over $5,000; LaToya Benjamin, who has run for the Council before, raised $4,425 and has not spent any money; and recently filed candidate Paul Nichols did not file any fundraising.

State Senator Jessica Ramos is outraising her challengers, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas and former elected Hiram Monserrate, in the Queens race with the most money. Photos via State Assembly, State Senate and the Restore Roosevelt Coalition

Other races

Beyond the closer, high-profile races, money is flowing in campaigns across Queens.

In the Rockaway-centered Assembly District 23, which is being vacated by retiring Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato, Queens Dems-backed Pesach Osina is far outpacing his opponents.

Osina raised $22,000 in the latest period, and has $34,000 left on hand.

His Democratic opponent, Mike Scala, raised $4,000 and has just about that much on hand. Returning Republican Tom Sullivan, who does not currently face a primary challenge, has raised $8,000 and has around $4,000 in the bank.

In District 24, incumbent Assemblymember David Weprin has not filed yet, and his progressive opponent Mahtab Khan has less than $2,000 left in the bank.

Similarly, District 25 incumbent Nily Rozic has not yet filed, but has no primary opponent. Republican Kenneth Paek has raised $20, and has yet to spend it.

Assemblymember Ed Braunstein does not have a primary opponent and is sitting on around $69,000. His two Republican challengers, Rob Speranza and Jan. 6 rioter Phillip Grillo have both not filed any campaign donations.

District 27 Assemblymember Sam Berger has also been spared a Democratic challenger and has $35,000 in the bank. His potential general election opponent, Alfredo Centola, has the Queens GOP’s backing but has yet to file.

Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi has yet to file, but neither has his Republican opponent, Jonathan David Rinaldi.

District 33’s Assemblymember Clyde Vanel has not filed, and his Democratic opponent Bryan Oster has about $4,000 in his campaign coffers.

Longtime staffer Brian Romero has a much more open race in District 34 following Kawas’ shift to the Senate, but still has an opponent in Roosevelt Avenue organizer Rosa Sanchez.

Romero raised $27,000 in the last filing, and had around $38,000 in the bank.

Newly-elected assemblymember for District 36, Diana Moreno, still has a campaign to run for June. She still has around $57,000 in the bank. The District 36 field has thinned since the contentious special election in February. Rana Abdelhamid and Shivani Dhir both told the Eagle on Tuesday that they don’t intend to run in June, leaving organizer Mary Jobaida as Moreno's only opponent. Jobaida finished last in the February special election. She raised $5,000 in the last period and still has $50,000 in the bank.

A recently filed candidate, Kevin Coenen, has $1,000 of personal cash with no reported donations.

DSA candidate Sam Kattan raised $31,000 in her bid to replace Claire Valdez, who is running for Congress, in District 37. Kattan has $38,000 in the bank. Her opponent, Pia Rahman raised around $15,000 and has around $5,000 in the bank.

Another DSA candidate, David Orkin raised $36,000 in his bid to unseat incumbent Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, and has $45,000 in the bank. His campaign added they have raised around $69,000since the beginning of the campaign and project $123,359 in matching funds.

Rajkumar has not filed, and her campaign told the Eagle that is because she is not participating in the state’s matching funds program. Her campaign claims to have raised $300,000 so far for her reelection.

District 39 Assemblymember Catalina Cruz has $57,000 in the bank, and her two challengers, Yonel Sosa and Ramses Frias, have yet to file.

Hyndman, while giving money in other races, has no opponent and has not filed, and the same goes for Anderson and incumbent Assemblymembers Larinda Hooks and Ron Kim.

In the Senate, Senator Toby Ann Stavisky is far outraising her five opponents in District 11.

The longtime incumbent raised $40,000 so far, and has $122,000 in the bank. Her opponents Sean Henry Miller, Andrew Engel, Adam Azam and Pamela Michos all have less than $5,000 on hand each.

District 15 State Senator Joe Addabbo has yet to file, but his opponent Albert Baldeo has around $9,000 on hand from personal cash, having not filed any donations.

State Senator John Liu, who is running to stay elected in District 16, has more money in the bank than any other candidate in Queens by a substantial margin, with $713,000 to his name.

Neither of his filed opponents, Juan Pagan and Phil Wang, have registered any filings.

DSA-backed Senator Kristen Gonzalez is running to retain her tri-borough District 59, and has $52,000 in the bank, having raised $21,000 in the last period.

She is facing a repeat challenger in Gus Lambropoulos, who has $112.

Senators Sanders, Comrie, Julia Salazar and Roxanne Persaud have no filed challengers in 2026.