Assembly Republicans have elected Assemblyman Ed Ra to serve as the next Assembly Minority Leader.
Members of the Assembly Minority Conference voted unanimously on Monday morning at the State Capitol to select Ra, a Franklin Square Republican, for the leadership role.
Ra has served as the conference’s ranking member on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee since 2020, where he helped lead the review and debate of the state budget. He has also held positions as assistant minority leader pro tempore, coordinated floor debate for the conference, and served as ranking member of the Assembly Education Committee.
First elected in 2010, Ra represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes parts of the towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead in Nassau County.
In a statement, Ra said he looks forward to working with fellow Republicans on issues including government spending, affordability and public safety.
Outgoing Minority Leader Will Barclay congratulated Ra, calling him a respected member of the Legislature with a strong work ethic. Barclay announced last week that he plans to step down from the leadership post and will not seek re-election this year.
Before joining the Assembly, Ra worked as a deputy town attorney for the Town of Hempstead and as a legal aide in the state Attorney General’s Office. He lives in Garden City South with his wife, Laura.
