Campaign Insiders is PoliticsNY’s latest Q&A series featuring candidates running for office in the 2026 New York primary election. This edition of Campaign Insiders features current Assembly Member Steven Raga who is running to represent New York’s 12th Senate District. The 12th Senate District is located in Queens and includes the neighborhoods of Astoria, Long Island City, and Sunnyside, as well as parts of Woodside, Maspeth, Ridgewood and Woodhaven.
What are the top three issues for your campaign?
- Universal healthcare so all of our neighbors can have access to quality care.
- Truly affordable housing for our neighborhoods so that families can afford to stay in Queens.
- Defending our immigrant communities and protecting New York from Trump’s attacks.
Why did you decide to run for office?
Queens is one of the most diverse places in the world. Our communities are built by working families who drive this city, but our systems are failing them. I’m running to change that. I’m running because I know what it means to struggle for healthcare and what housing instability feels like. I’ve seen the sacrifices immigrant families make. I’m running because government has a responsibility to ensure no family suffers because the system failed them.
What do you believe is the top issue facing voters and how do you plan to address it if elected?
Our neighbors are suffering from an affordability crisis – they are feeling the pressure of rising rents, higher utilities, and inflation. We can and will make Queens affordable by (1) delivering universal healthcare, so New Yorkers can save on healthcare costs, while getting the quality care they need; (2) building truly affordable housing; and (3) making the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share so we can invest in our communities and strengthen our social safety net.
How does your background qualify you to hold office?
Before taking office, I spent years as an organizer and coalition builder with my neighbors here in SD12. During this time, I learned that my lived experiences dealing with a lack of affordable healthcare and housing instability were also the lived experiences of those around me. I put those experiences into action by becoming an immigrant rights and tenant organizer, a Community Board member, and eventually an assemblymember, to be a voice for working people.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent?
My work will always be rooted in the community that shaped my life. My leadership has been shaped by the voices of Queens, and I have a track record of listening to Queens residents and delivering results. I believe in building coalitions to fight for the power of working people. I am ready, on day one, to bring Queens together and move our communities forward.
From now until early voting, Campaign Insiders will be featuring candidates from select democratic primary races across the City & State. Be sure to check back to hear from a wide range of candidates from assembly, senate, and congressional races as well as the NYS comptroller race!
Early voting in NYC is June 13th-21st and Election Day is June 23rd. Check out the PoliticsNY Election Primer to see who will be on your ballot and don’t forget to vote this June!
