Ramos backs Bagga in crowded Western Queens council race
/
State Sen. Jessica Ramos (third from right) endorse Amit Singh Bagga in the race for Queens Council District 26. Photo courtesy of Bagga
By David Brand
State Sen. Jessica Ramos has endorsed Amit Singh Bagga in the race for Queens Council District 26, helping the former Census outreach administrator stand out in a field with 17 Democratic candidates.
Bagga served as deputy director of New York City’s Census outreach team and has also worked as deputy commissioner of the Department of Social Services and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Ramos cited his experience advancing the interests of working families during his career in city government.
“Amit is a battle-tested progressive leader who will leverage power in the City Council to center the needs of working families in our city — fighting to expand healthcare access, stabilize housing, create green jobs, and provide safe and enriching public schools," Ramos said.
Council District 26 includes Long Island City, Sunnyside and parts of Woodside and Astoria. The seat is currently held by term-limited Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer.
Bagga grew up in the Bronx and lives in Sunnyside. He is vying to become the first South Asian candidate elected to the City Council, pending the results of a special election in District 24 that features six South Asian candidates.
He said he worked closely with Ramos during the city’s Census effort in Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights and added that there was “no greater champion for the working people of our state” than the second-term senator.
“New York City will need all the help it can get from Albany, and I’m honored to have the support of Senator Ramos in our people-powered quest to build a Fair Economy for all, with immigrants, low-wage and gig workers, creators, and small business at the heart of the recovery from our multi-layered health, economic, and political crisis of this moment.”
Bagga has also received recent endorsements from two labor unions, Local 802 - American Federation of Musicians and the Professional Staff Congress of CUNY.
His campaign has raised about $49,000, according to financial disclosure reports filed Jan. 15, second only to District 26 candidate Julie Won. Won has raised more than $68,000.
Sixteen other Democrats have also filed to run with the New York City Board of Elections.
They include former Queens Democratic Socialists of America co-chair Jonathan Bailey; business consultant Tavo Bortoli; Giselle Burgess, who founded a Girl Scout troop for homeless New Yorkers; former Council staffer Lorenzo Brea; former Bronx prosecutor Julia Forman; former Assembly staffer Glennis Gomez; entrepreneur Ben Guttmann; former Community Board 2 chair Denise Keehan-Smith; Community Board 2 member Badrun Khan; CUNY professor Heajin Kim; progressive organizer Jesse Laymon; political adviser Sultan Maruf; community leader Brent O'Leary; Sunnyside anti-development activist Emily Sharpe; and nonprofit leader Ebony Young.
Community Board 2 member Bianca Ozeri and former Council and Senate staffer Alex Rias filed with the BOE but have ended their campaigns. Air Force veteran Marvin Jeffcoat is running on the Repubican side.
