Ed Ra Bio:
State Assembly Member Edward Ra is currently serving his seventh term in the state Assembly, representing parts of the towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead in Nassau County.
Ra serves as ranking minority member of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. The committee vets all bills with fiscal implications, most critically the legislation that comprises the state budget. He previously served as assistant minority leader pro tempore, a role in which he coordinated and led floor debate for the Conference.
Ra graduated from Loyola College in Maryland in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science. He received his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law in 2007 and his Master of Laws in Intellectual Property Law from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2008.
Ra is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Prior to his election, Ra served as a deputy town attorney for the Town of Hempstead and as a legal aide in the Office of the New York State Attorney General.
Ra is a member of the Franklin Square Kiwanis, a 3rd Degree Knight of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the 12 Apostles Council and a member of the Cellini Lodge no. 2206 Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America.
Ra is a resident of Garden City South, where he lives with his wife Laura and their shelter dog Carter.
Political party affiliation: Republican
Top 3 Issues:
1. Public Safety:
Public safety remains a top priority for me because it’s a pressing concern for New Yorkers. 87% of New Yorkers say crime is a serious problem in NYS and 61% worry about
becoming a crime victim.
Ra said progressive policies passed in Albany have created a dangerous cycle of repeat offenders, leaving people afraid to walk down their own streets. Instead of allowing these policies to persist, he said we must repeal them, hold criminals accountable and address the root causes of crime, including the opioid crisis.
Equally important to Ra is ensuring that law enforcement officers have the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. Ra said restoring public safety is critical for the well-being of our communities, and he is fully committed to providing solutions that protect New Yorkers and return a sense of security to neighborhoods.
2. Affordability:
Ra said affordability is another crucial issue affecting families across the state. As the ranking republican member on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, he said he’s seen firsthand how decisions made in Albany directly impact the financial health of New Yorkers. The cost of living is rising rapidly, with families facing higher prices for everything from groceries to energy bills and housing-related expenses.
On top of this, new taxes to replace congestion pricing threaten to make living and working in New York even more difficult. Ra is advocating for immediate relief through measures like the “Inflation Relief and Consumer Assistance Plan,” which aims to reduce energy bills and provide direct financial support to families.
Ra said we need tax cuts, not tax hikes, to protect households from future cost increases and ensure New Yorkers can keep more of their hard-earned money.
3. Child Care:
The cost of child care is an urgent issue that affects families in every corner of the state, especially on Long Island.
With some families paying up to $20,000 annually per child, child care has become a significant financial burden that prevents parents from returning to the workforce and hampers economic mobility. Even families earning at or above the median household income are struggling to keep up with these rising costs.
This is why Ra spearheaded the ABC Plan, a comprehensive proposal to address this crisis by increasing tax incentives for families, expanding early childhood education and boosting child care provider options.
The plan is designed to save the average family more than $2,300 each year while ensuring every child has access to high-quality, affordable care. Ra said he is committed to making child care more accessible and affordable so parents can balance work and family without sacrificing financial security.
