By Alexander Dworkowitz
The race for Flushing’s new assembly seat has grown crowded.
Four more political hopefuls have expressed their intentions of running for the 22nd Assembly District, which is centered in heavily Asian downtown Flushing.
Former city council candidates Richard Jannaccio and Evergreen Chou, and political newcomer John Albert officially announced their candidacies at the end of May.
Jannaccio and Albert are running as Democrats and Chou as a Green Party contender. Republican district leader Meilin Tan also has expressed strong interest.
The four join Democratic district leader Ethel Chen, Democratic businessman Jimmy Meng and Barry Grodenchik, still another Democrat who is personnel director for Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, in their pursuit of the spot in the state Legislature.
Grodenchik received the Queens Democratic Party’s blessing at the party’s annual meeting on May 20.
Tan expects to get the Republican designation next week and then officially will declare her candidacy, she said.
“I am going to consult with the leadership of the party,” she said.
Jannaccio, president of the West Flushing Civic Association, said his campaign will focus on quality-of-life issues and, in particular, working to lessen the impact of development on Flushing.
Albert, an attorney and crimes victims advocate, said his goals are improving Flushing’s infrastructure and health care for seniors, as well as fighting the housing shortage.
Chou could not be reached for comment.
The 22nd Assembly District, which still has to survive a period of lawsuits before it becomes official, was drawn by the state Legislature to have a majority Asian population.
The district is 53.3 percent Asian, 20.1 percent white and 18.7 Hispanic.
With the only majority Asian assembly district in the city at stake, the race has attracted many Asian candidates. Chen, Chou, Meng and Tan are of Far Eastern descent and Albert is an Indian-American. Jannaccio is white.
The campaign comes after Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) won last year’s city council election, making him the first Asian elected official in the city.
“That’s something that we as a community had to get out of our system,” Jannaccio said. “And now we are looking for someone more issue-oriented.”
“I think we need to have a candidate that transcends the racial issues,” Albert said. “I think that what has happened in this race is that people have forgotten about the community.”
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300 Ext. 141.
