Central Queens Republican Club Holds Meeting Featuring Candidates for November Elections
Congressional, State Legislature and Judicial Candidates Introduced Their Campaigns and Programs at Forest Hills Gathering
NEW YORK (Manzoor Hussain): The Central Queens Republican Club held a special meeting on September 17 in Forest Hills, Queens, featuring candidates participating in the November 2026 elections for positions in the U.S. Congress, New York State Senate, State Assembly and the judiciary.
The gathering was organized to provide candidates with an opportunity to introduce themselves, present their campaign programs and priorities, and meet and exchange views with members of the local political community. The meeting was held at Grace Lutheran Church, 103-15 Union Turnpike, Forest Hills, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
According to the club’s announcement, Republican and Conservative candidates appearing on the November ballot, as well as individuals who had participated in Republican primary elections, had been invited to attend. Candidates had also been encouraged to bring campaign literature, flyers and lawn signs for public outreach and campaign promotion during the event.
The meeting took place as candidates and political organizations were preparing for the November elections, which included contests for statewide offices, seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, the New York State Senate and Assembly, as well as judicial positions.
Statewide Candidates
The list of candidates associated with the event included several candidates for statewide offices. Those listed included Bruce Blakeman for Governor, Todd Hood for Lieutenant Governor, Joe Hernandez for Comptroller and Sarithitha Komati Reddy for Attorney General.
The presence of candidates representing statewide races, legislative districts and judicial positions reflected the broad range of contests being addressed during the 2026 election cycle.
Congressional Candidates
A large number of candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives were included in the club’s list. They represented congressional districts across New York.
Among those listed were Michael LiPetri from the 3rd Congressional District, Janine Driscoll from the 4th, George Marsh from the 5th, Joseph Chou from the 6th, Melvin Rivera from the 7th, Lewis Mizrahi from the 8th, Joel Anabilla-Azuma from the 9th, Jennifer A. Moore from the 10th and Nicole Malliotakis from the 11th Congressional District.
The list also included candidates associated with the 12th through 15th Congressional Districts, including Caroline Schinkel, Jomo M. Williams, Emmanuel T. Williams, Diamant Hesnaj, Styllo Spaskees and Gonzalo Duran.
The club’s published list also identified the election status of certain individuals, including candidates who had lost primary contests, withdrawn from races, declined ballot positions or experienced other changes in their election status.
State Senate Candidates
Candidates listed for New York State Senate seats included Pamela Maikos, Han-Khon To, John Patrick Haley, Daniel Mayo, Stephen Chan, Ronald Seifert, Carl Kaller, Ruslan Shmal, Andrew J. Lanza, Tom Stanton, Jason Murillo, Alina Bonsell and Charlotte Friedman, among others.
The extensive list reflected the number of state legislative contests taking place across New York during the election year.
State Assembly Candidates
A lengthy list of State Assembly candidates from different districts was also associated with the meeting. Those listed included Thomas P. Sullivan, Wilson Chang, Robert J. Speranza, Alfredo J. Centola, Samuel Zvi Berger, David Camp, Brendan P. Castro, Edward Lee, Ruben D. Cruz II, Ramses S. Frias, Kalman Yeager, Anna Shpilkovskaya, Glenn Nocera, Michael Novakhov, Alec Brock Krasny, John J. Ricottone, Lester Chang, Carla Danielson, Brett Weinkopf, Norman H. Ramsey, Casey Marie O’Connor Manasia, Michael W. Reilly Jr., Sam T. Perozollo, Michael Tanosys, Helen Qiu, Veronica Gonzalez, Christine Fontanelli, Emmanuel Findley Jr., Dennis Smith, Irene Guanell, James Washington Ward, Tyrek Goodman, Maria Diaz, Sherry A. Olivo and Zenobia Merced Bonilla.
The club’s information also identified changes in the status of some candidates following primary elections and other developments in the electoral process.
Judicial Candidates Also Included
Judicial candidates were also represented at the gathering. Candidates listed for Civil Court positions in Kings, Queens and Richmond counties included Aaron Franklin, Eaton C. Harris, Thomas D. Bara, Stephen C. Dakhtera, Michael Mossa, William David Shanahan and Glenn A. Yost.
The inclusion of judicial candidates provided attendees with an opportunity to learn about races extending beyond congressional and legislative contests.
Election Integrity and Other Presentations
The meeting agenda also included presentations and announcements concerning election-related matters. Sean Kniff, Regional Director for Election Integrity at the Republican National Committee, was listed among the scheduled speakers.
Patrick McAndrews and Robert Pearl were scheduled to discuss VoterXchange, while Aaron Herman and Deanna Andrea Morgan of JoinImpact were also included in the program for announcements and presentations.
The formal meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the reading of the club’s mission statement, recognition of officers and board members, approval of the previous meeting’s minutes, a financial report and committee reports.
The agenda then included discussion of old and new business and provided an opportunity for attendees to express their views. A 50/50 raffle was also scheduled before the conclusion of the meeting.
Participation and Membership
According to the event information, invited speakers and club members were admitted free of charge, while a suggested contribution of $5 was requested from non-members. Annual membership was listed at $30 for an individual and $50 for a couple.
The club provided several payment options for membership and event participation, including Venmo, Zelle, checks and payment at the event.
The September 17 gathering formed part of the Central Queens Republican Club’s activities during the 2026 election year, with the club holding meetings focused on candidates, political issues and election-related matters.
Democratic Candidates Invited to October Meeting
The club also announced that its next meeting was scheduled for October 15, 2026, and that Democratic candidates had been invited to participate. The planned gathering was intended to provide candidates from different political affiliations with an opportunity to address club members and other participants and present their views.
The September 17 meeting therefore served as a platform for candidates seeking offices at different levels of government to introduce themselves, discuss their campaigns and engage with members of the local political community ahead of the November elections.
