Gianaris endorses across Queens – but stays silent about his own successor

Queens State Senator Michael Gianaris has yet to endorse someone for the seat he is vacating.  Eagle file photo by Ryan Schwach

By Ryan Schwach

Queens State Senator Michael Gianaris may be retiring at the end of the year, but that hasn’t stopped him from endorsing those he hopes will become future members of the legislature – except when it comes to the race to fill his own seat.

The outgoing Senate minority leader has supported progressive and democratic socialist candidates across the borough this election cycle, but has remained silent on the contest to replace him in Albany between Democratic Socialists of America-backed Aber Kawas and Assemblymember Steven Raga, a progressive lawmaker who served alongside Gianaris in the legislature.

While Kawas said she is hoping to score Gianaris’ endorsement before election day next week – early voting is already underway – Raga declined to comment on whether he’s courting the senator’s support in the race for the 12th District.

Gianaris did not respond to several requests for comment on his plans to endorse in his district.

The longtime lawmaker has not shied away from pushing for his preferred candidates, even those in tight races. This week, he announced that he was backing Assemblymember Claire Valdez in her congressional race against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Queens City Councilmember Julie Won, and attorney Vichal Kumar.

He has also announced his endorsement of Samantha Kattan, a DSA member running for Valdez’s open seat in the Assembly; Brian Romero, who is running in Assembly District 34; and Rep. Grace Meng, who is facing a challenge from her left from former government worker Chuck Park.

But, he has yet to endorse in the race to succeed him.

While not unprecedented, it is rare that such a well-known and powerful incumbent wouldn’t weigh in on his own replacement.

Many of his fellow outgoing and retiring colleagues in Queens already have.

Representative Nydia Velázquez is backing Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso against Valdez, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas is backing Romero to fill her seat, Assemblymember Vivian Cook is backing Nathaniel Hezekiah, Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato is supporting Pesach Osina, and Valdez is also supporting Kattan.

The only other current Queens office holder who is vacating a seat but has yet to endorse in the race to fill it is Raga.

Raga’s campaign declined to comment on his own silence in his assembly district.

Kawas said that her campaign has been in contact with Gianaris, and added that the senator has been “gracious and encouraging,” in a statement to the Eagle.

In a recent interview with the Queens Ledger, Kawas said it was Gianaris who encouraged her to run for office in the first place.

“We respect if he chooses to let his constituents decide on their own who will best represent them,” Kawas said in a statement. “We feel confident that we’re the campaign that is the best fit to represent the district and build on his progressive legacy, and look forward to working with the Senator on transition upon winning.”

The Palestinian organizer had originally launched a bid for State Assembly in JGR’s 34th District, where she would have been in a tightly contested contest with Romero, González-Rojas’ former chief of staff who is also a DSA member.

After Gianaris announced his retirement in February, Kawas shifted to run for his newly vacant seat, avoiding what could have been a potentially divisive race between her and Romero.

Raga, who has represented Western Queens since 2023, jumped in soon after.

“I admire the work of Senator Gianaris and have had the honor of working with him over the last ten years on the issues facing everyday people in Western Queens, including affordability, health care, housing, food security, mass transit, and immigrant justice,” Raga said in a statement when asked about a potential Gianaris endorsement. “That’s why I have worked hard to earn the trust of voters during this campaign to succeed Mike Gianaris, and why my campaign has amassed the broadest coalition of support: from progressive electeds, to our labor unions, organizations standing up for immigrant justice, disability rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and local clubs.”

“The people of SD12 need a leader with the coalitions to turn progressive values into results. I have built those coalitions and will continue to get those results in the State Senate," the assemblymember added.

The race for Gianaris’ seat has been billed as one of several DSA-versus-progressive fights unfolding throughout the city, including in the 7th Congressional District, which covers parts of Queens.

Both candidates are progressive, and both are dues-paying members of the DSA. They have largely split local endorsements.

Kawas has the formal support of the DSA, as well as Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Queens’ cohort of DSA electeds, save Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Assemblymember Steven Raga and Democratic Socialist of America member Aber Kawas are running to succeed State Senator Michael Gianaris in Albany.   Photos via campaigns 

Raga has support from the more mainstream progressive crowd in Queens, including Borough President Donovan Richards, Assemblymember Catalina Cruz and Councilmember Shekar Krishnan. The assemblymember also has significant union support.

Both have fundraised well, and both still have large sums on hand.

Raga holds $241,000 in his war chest, and Kawas has $210,000.

In the latest filing period, Kawas outraised Raga $58,000 to $26,000, but Raga edged out Kawas in both the March and May filing periods.

Gianaris, a progressive who was among the first local politicians to back Mamdani in his bid for mayor last year, is the last of the old guard in Western Queens politics that has been largely replaced by DSA members and staunch left-leaning progressives.

“My first introduction to him was as an establishment machine operative but he has kind of evolved over the years and evolved very much as the district has evolved and become more progressive,” said Brian Browne, a Queens political analyst.

Browne argued that Gianaris’ hesitancy to select an heir could be about wanting to let the ever-changing progressive Queens district pick a new representative free of his influence.

“The district has changed tremendously, and perhaps by sitting out and not endorsing, he's really letting a changing district decide its future,” said Browne. “Perhaps he really wants a fair, open primary, rather than trying to put his political thumb on the scale.”

Gianaris has been one of Queens’ most powerful envoys in Albany for the last several years. He has represented Western Queens since 2001, and has served as deputy majority leader of the Senate, the second-most powerful position in the upper chamber, since 2019.

In February, the 56-year-old said he was retiring to spend more time with his family.

“While the State Senate's future is in good hands with the current members of the Democratic conference, it is time for me to embrace a new role as the best father I can be,” he said at the time. “Children grow in the blink of an eye and mine are no exception. The fact is that working in my district, leading the majority's efforts on the floor of the Senate, and steering our conference's campaign arm are intensely time-consuming tasks. But so is being a husband and father. I cherish my time with my family as much as any political success I have experienced, and after a quarter century as a legislator I simply do not want to miss another moment.”