When Assemblymember Claire Valdez joined the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez within the seventh Congressional District, she did so out of a need to extend union illustration in Congress.
Valdez, a member of the New York Metropolis chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is working towards Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso — a fellow progressive lawmaker – to succeed Velázquez in probably the most left-leaning congressional districts in all the nation, which straddles Western Queens and North Brooklyn.
The 2 candidates are carefully aligned on a variety of marketing campaign insurance policies, pledging to tax the wealthy, abolish ICE and introduce measures to deal with the housing disaster if they’re elected. Each are additionally outstanding labor organizers and appeared alongside each other outdoors an Amazon warehouse in Woodside final month in assist of staff’ efforts to unionize.
Nonetheless, like many different races in western Queens, the race to succeed Velázquez pits a DSA-backed candidate towards a standard progressive candidate in part of the town typically dubbed the “Commie Corridor” because of the assist that Mayor Zohran Mamdani loved in the course of the 2025 mayoral election.
Reynoso is a standard lawmaker molded by Velázquez and has acquired an endorsement from the veteran lawmaker, with Velázquez citing his greater than a decade of expertise in elected workplace.
Valdez, alternatively, is an in depth Mamdani ally and picked up an endorsement from the mayor inside 24 hours of launching her marketing campaign earlier in January. Valdez has represented the thirty seventh Meeting District for a 12 months however has a robust background within the labor motion with UAW Native 2110.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed Claire Valdez’s congressional bid at an occasion at Maria Hernandez Park. Picture by Shane O’Brien.
She believes that her expertise working minimum-wage jobs and preventing towards multi-billion greenback establishments will resonate with voters on the marketing campaign path.
Amongst Valdez’s marketing campaign priorities is the Defending the Proper to Manage (PRO) Act, which might strengthen staff’ rights to affix and kind unions, collectively discount and strike for higher working circumstances.
She additionally signaled her assist for U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Houses Act, which might set up a brand new federal housing growth authority that may construct hundreds of thousands of completely inexpensive properties throughout the nation.
QNS spoke to Valdez a couple of vary of marketing campaign points in a dialog final week. The interview has been edited for size and readability.
When the Congress member introduced that she wasn’t looking for re-election, what made you determine to run for Congress?
It was a really troublesome determination. I initially didn’t need to do it. I had many conversations with colleagues inside New York Metropolis, DSA, within the legislature, in my union – UAW.
Finally, the explanation I made a decision to run was the identical motive I ran for state Meeting – as a result of I used to be requested to. I feel this can be a second when unions have by no means been extra in style in america, when vitality across the labor motion has by no means been increased, however we don’t see that vitality mirrored in Congress. There’s solely a handful of members who’ve any direct expertise with labor motion, and I feel it’s actually important that have goes to Washington.
This district straddles two boroughs. You’re acquainted to voters in Queens, however not a lot to voters in Brooklyn. How do you propose to bridge that hole and attain voters who won’t know a lot about you?
That is the work of the marketing campaign. Due to the New York Metropolis DSA endorsement, we’ll be marshaling many hundreds of volunteers to exit and knock on doorways.
I’ve been taking conferences with group leaders and activists throughout Brooklyn, and the purpose proper now, actually is to listen to straight from the individuals who reside in New York-7 throughout Newtown Creek in regards to the challenges of their lives.
Actually, our struggles are the identical in Brooklyn and Queens. Our hire is simply too excessive, childcare is simply too costly – though we are actually seeing some enchancment there – utilities are unaffordable.
This can be a district with many, many immigrant neighborhoods and communities which are feeling terrified by ICE and by this administration’s insistence on trampling our constitutional rights.
This race options two left-leaning candidates who’re ideologically very comparable on a number of points. How do you differentiate your self from somebody who, on the floor, is similar to you when it comes to coverage?
In a way, it’s a great factor that there’s a broad consensus on the primary coverage platforms – Medicare For All, abolishing ICE, taxing the wealthy. These are superb issues. We need to see consensus on this district.
The expertise I’m bringing actually is as a union organizer, as any individual who has defended my co-workers towards Columbia College, a multi-billion greenback establishment. I’m somebody who has walked dozens and dozens of picket strains, who was on the Amazon facility in Woodside final month, however was additionally at their Maspeth facility and their Staten Island facility once they have been on strike on the finish of 2024.
I’ve additionally had a really clear and constant file on talking out towards the genocide in Gaza. I’ve been naming the US complicity in it during the last two years, organizing round it, marching within the streets.
That’s going to be one thing that may converse to individuals.
What do you say to individuals – like Nydia Velázquez – who say you lack the expertise for Congress?
I’ve the expertise of getting to pay hire each month, of getting to work low-wage, minimum-wage jobs, of getting to work a number of jobs on the similar time and nonetheless overdrafting my checking account. These are the experiences that almost all working individuals have had, and I feel that’s going to resonate on the doorways.
I’ve had the expertise of defending my co-workers towards a multi-billion greenback establishment in Columbia College, and successful actual issues in our contract. I feel these are the experiences that persons are hungry for.
I come out of DSA, however actually my politics are that on a regular basis working individuals can do unbelievable issues once we manage collectively. I feel persons are bored with being advised that they will’t take part in politics as a result of they don’t have expertise.
It appeared just like the Congress member was firing nearly a warning shot on the Mayor over his endorsement of you and sort of moving into this election earlier than she did. Had been you stunned by that? And are you stunned that there appears to be a coalition of conventional progressives forming behind sure candidates in sure races?
I’ve the world of respect for the Congress member. I actually do. Her observe file on Palestine and standing up for Puerto Rico are extremely necessary. She has each proper to decide on this race, and I completely respect that. I’ve the appropriate to take my imaginative and prescient and my expertise to the voters to see what they are saying within the main.
What is going to you do if you’re elected to amplify the voice of unions and what did it imply to select up the UAW endorsement?
UAW is my union. It’s my first endorsement. I’m actually proud. It was actually significant to have Shawn Fain, the president of UAW, come out and converse on my behalf at a presser a pair weeks in the past. UAW is a union that’s been championing staff’ rights and a labor motion that’s for everybody…
I intend to stroll as many picket strains as I can, to face with staff who’re organizing their retailers, to cross the PRO Act so much more staff can manage, to offer federal assist to new organizing, and to actually develop a vibrant and militant labor motion.
You’ve spoken about your need to abolish ICE… Are you able to speak somewhat bit about that and if, elected, what would your first acts be to attain that in case you have been elected?
I feel as a Congress member, you’ve an immense platform to discuss injustices. We do need to abolish ICE. At this level, it serves no function. It has been funded with billions and billions of {dollars}, it has been militarized to the gills.
It’s now murdering US residents on American streets in broad daylight on movie. For over a 12 months now, because the starting of Trump’s second administration, we’ve been ringing the alarm bells in New York State about the necessity to defend our immigrant neighbors.
We’ve instruments at our disposal, funding for immigration providers and for authorized protections and protection. We’ve the flexibility to do extra know your rights trainings, to do bystander trainings, to make individuals really feel snug and courageous and standing up towards ICE in our neighborhoods. However finally, the company itself simply must be abolished. It serves no function and it’s destroying the material of our nation.
(Your fellow DSA member) Diana Moreno spoke of the significance of non-legislative acts that elected officers can take to guard communities from ICE, do you maintain the identical view?
I feel they’re extremely necessary. Laws can transfer very slowly. Actually, underneath the Trump administration, we’re going to have a number of issue transferring progressive laws.
So it’s going to be actions of individuals that may defend our neighbors, which are going to be standing within the breach… I feel seeing individuals on the streets, seeing individuals arise for his or her neighbors, provides everybody a number of bravery and braveness in a second when so many individuals are unable to even go outdoors.
The place do you see the federal authorities’s function in addressing the housing disaster? What are among the first insurance policies you’d pursue?
We’ve to guard Part 8. We’ve to completely fund NYCHA. We’ve to repeal the Faircloth Modification that prohibits constructing further public housing. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez carries the Houses Act round social housing. I’ve been very supportive of the sister model within the New York State Legislature carried by Emily Gallagher.
There’s a number of federal funding that may be been achieved in housing that’s completely inexpensive and could be democratically managed by the tenants who reside in it, in order that tenants have the identical stability and protections as householders.
NY-7 is hitting 77% tenants, who deserve steady housing and the federal authorities ought to completely have accountability in ensuring that’s what’s accessible.
You’re clearly in favor of taxing the wealthy, however that has proved troublesome even in a left-leaning state like New York. When you’re elected to Congress, you’ll have to work with extra Republicans, extra average Democrats. How would you’re employed with them to herald these sort of tax reforms?
It’ll be a problem. However what I’m studying in my congressional marketing campaign is that a lot of what we do is fundraise as a result of there are immense company pursuits in our federal authorities which are very energetic in defending a company class and a billionaire class who completely don’t need to see their taxes raised.
What we all know is that there’s broad assist, at the very least in New York State, for taxing the wealthiest amongst us, for taxing very worthwhile companies. What we’ll want is an actual motion throughout the nation.
I felt a number of inspiration from Bernie Sanders Combat the Oligarchy Tour the place hundreds of persons are popping out acknowledging that this crushing oligarchy must be confronted. And so taking up company greed is one thing we’ll be doing on this marketing campaign and, if I win, that’ll be step one towards taxing the wealthy.
What’s your day-one legislative precedence?
Abolishing ICE, passing the PRO Act and Medicare for All.
