Patrick Martinez is an advertising professional from Woodside who has served as a Democratic District Leader and as a member of Queens Community Board 2. He supported nearly all of Citizens Union’s reform agenda, except for open primaries. During his interview, Citizens Union noted his detailed knowledge of the district and found him well-positioned to be effective in Albany. While his family ties to Queens Democratic politics drew some scrutiny (he is the nephew of former US Representative Joe Crowley and the son of Ramón Martinez, the chief of staff to two former City Council Speakers), Citizens Union found his emphasis on an independent voice and his civic track record in the district to be sincere. Citizens Union prefers Patrick Martinez in this race.

Somnath Ghimire is a supervisor at an aviation company and a longtime community organizer in Woodside. While Citizens Union valued his extensive community roots and advocacy work, particularly within the South Asian community, his interview revealed significant gaps on key CU priorities. Most notably, his support for government-issued voter ID requirements at the polls conflicted directly with Citizens Union’s reform agenda. Citizens Union encourages Ghimire to continue his important community work.