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 Jeannine Kiely who is running to represent New York’s 66th Assembly District. The 66th Assembly District is located in Manhattan and includes Greenwich Village, Tribeca, SoHo, NoHo, and parts of Battery Park City and the Meatpacking District.
What are the top three issues for your campaign?
- Expanding Housing Affordability: Housing is a human right. New Yorkers deserve housing that is affordable and plentiful, not overpriced and scarce.
- Strengthening Public Education: Every student has a right to a world-class education, and our state has a duty to deliver.
- Protecting Our Communities: True public safety means addressing the root causes of crime and danger, not reacting after the fact.
Why did you decide to run for office?
I’m running to take on the hard fights every day and deliver results. From legislative action to top-level constituent services, voters deserve strong and prepared leadership. I’ve raised my family in this district and understand the needs of our community. I’ll work to ensure the future of New York is bright, and the challenges we face are addressed with bold solutions, not minor fixes that fail to address systemic problems.
What do you believe is the top issue facing voters and how do you plan to address it if elected?
Cost of living is the top crisis voters are facing today. New Yorkers cannot afford their daily lives as rent, healthcare and inflation continue to rise. I will fight to solve the housing crisis through expanding affordable housing and tenant protections, work with organized labor to achieve living wages and workplace protections, and cosponsor the New York Health Act to achieve universal health care in this state.
How does your background qualify you to hold office?
I’ve served for 14 years on Manhattan Community Board 2, including as chair of the Board, and am a democratic district leader for the 66th AD, Part B. I’ve led transformational change as a co-founder of Literacy Academy Collective, which has opened the first two district public schools for students with dyslexia. Only two other such public schools exist in the entire nation.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents?
My record of delivering for this community is unmatched in this race. I delivered a new middle and District 75 school in Greenwich Village, achieved 100% affordable housing at 388 Hudson Street and led Friends of Elizabeth Street Garden – supporting the win-win solution to build more than 620 units of affordable housing. I successfully fought for new fields at Pier 40 and Gansevoort Peninsula on behalf of Champions, which represents more than 12,500 children.
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!
