2 More Candidates Join Upper East Side Assembly Race

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Two more candidates have thrown their hats into the ring for the open State Assembly seat on the Upper East Side, setting up what will likely be a crowded field in the June Democratic primary.

May Malik and Kellie Leeson both announced their candidacies on Tuesday for the 73rd District seat being vacated by Dan Quart, who opted not to run for re-election. Community Board 8 chair Russell Squire has also declared his candidacy, while former City Councilmember Ben Kallos is considering a run.

Until last fall, Malik served as deputy commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, where she worked on pandemic recovery and also assisted in the city's battles against the Trump administration on family separations and the proposed immigration question on the 2020 Census.

Before that, Malik headed public-private partnerships at NYC Service, touting her work on a citywide project that raised more than $7 million to tackle socioeconomic issues.

"I know what it means to be in the trenches fighting for what's right for New York City," Malik said in a statement. Having immigrated from Sudan at the age of 3, Malik now lives on the Upper East Side with her seven-year-old daughter.

Leeson, meanwhile, describes herself as an "international humanitarian advocate," who previously worked for the International Rescue Committee in Africa and most recently for the Women's Refugee Commission in New York. She also co-leadds the progressive politics group Empire State Indivisible.

"I believe that every New Yorker deserves to live in safety and with dignity, and our state has the resources to make that a reality," Leeson said in an email announcing her campaign.

The 73rd District covers Carnegie Hill, Lenox Hill and much of Midtown East and Murray Hill. Quart, 49, has held the seat since 2011.

This year's primary elections will be held on June 28.

Read more about the two newest candidates on their websites, maymalik.com and kellieforassembly.com. And subscribe for free to Upper East Side Patch for continued coverage of the race.