NYC Primary Election 2020: Michael Gianaris Defends Senate Seat

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Democrats in western Queens will get to cast a ballot this month in a collection of local, state and federal primary races — including the 12th Senatorial District, where state Sen. Michael Gianaris will have to defend his seat against challenger Iggy Terranova.

Gianaris, an Astoria resident, was first elected to the New York Senate in 2010 and now serves as the Senate's deputy majority leader. He previously spent 10 years representing Astoria in the state Assembly and worked as counsel to the Assembly. He also worked as an aide to Congressman Tom Manton and served as former Gov. Mario Cuomo's Queens regional representative. He received his law degree from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree from Fordham University.

The 12th Senatorial District covers Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside, as well as parts of Woodside, Maspeth, Ridgewood and Woodhaven.

• READ MORE: Iggy Terranova Takes On Sen. Gianaris

The primary election, slated for June 23, is open to registered Democratic voters. All New York voters may request a mail-in ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ballots must be postmarked by the date of the election for the vote to get counted.

For those who want to head to the polls, click here to find your poll site. Early voting is available from June 13 to June 21.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the primary election to create these profiles. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

Michael Gianaris

Age as of Election Day (Nov. 3)

50

NYC neighborhood of residence

Astoria

Position Sought

State Senate

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

n/a

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

n/a

Education

Long Island City High School, Fordham University (BA), Harvard Law School (JD)

Occupation

State Senator

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

State Senate, State Assembly

Campaign website

www.mikegianaris.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

For too long, the deck has been stacked against everyday New Yorkers in favor of wealthy interests. I want to hold those interests accountable and level the playing field for everyone.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Housing affordability. Especially in western Queens, development has been designed for the wealthy, not our working class and immigrant communities. I was one of the leaders establishing the strongest tenant protections in history, enacted by the Senate last year, and I have continued to make fighting for quality, affordable housing a priority.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am a lifelong Democrat and committed to progressive causes and values.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I continue fighting for a fairer justice system that changes how we police our communities and puts more resources in the hands of social service providers. In addition, I am focused on working on making our transit system more affordable, reliable, and accessible to all.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As Deputy Leader of the Senate, I'm proud to serve as the highest ranking State Senator from New York City and to have played a leadership role in the most progressive session in our history - enacting the strongest ever tenant protections, historic support for immigrants, groundbreaking criminal law reforms, nation-leading climate change laws, GENDA, RHA, and so much more. We have done much but have so much more to do.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Always do what you believe is right and you will sleep well at night.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? (No response)