Astoria's 'Vax Daddy' Resigns From Queens State Assembly Race

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Huge Ma, a New York State Assembly candidate and Astoria resident who came to fame as New York City's "Vax Daddy," dropped out of the city government race on Friday when newly ratified district maps drew his home outside of the area he was seeking to represent.

"When I started this campaign, I dreamed of representing my childhood home. This week, my home was redrawn well outside of the new District 37," he said, alluding to recently-redistricted state senate maps, which Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law on Thursday (in addition to new congressional and assembly maps).

Ma, who gained internet celebdom at the beginning of this year after launching his vaccine appointment-finding site, TurboVax, later used his platform to advocate for safer streets and climate and housing justice — tenants of his state government platform that he said he will continue to advocate on behalf of.

"I am proud to be one of the first to run on a platform of housing abundance and will support candidates who will demand urgent State-level action on climate and transportation," he said.

Ma's resignation paves the way for incumbent Cathy Nolan's campaign; a longtime Assembly Member whose fended off (more progressive), novice candidates in the past.

While the redistricted maps are widely considered to be a boon for the Democrats who designed them (after the state's nonpartisan redistricting body failed to approve bipartisan maps), they also reportedly could benefit longtime Democratic candidates (like Nolan and Carolyn Maloney) who've lost some of their more progressive voters in the process.

Read Huge Ma's resignation statement here.