State Assembly Member - District 69
Eli Northrup
Democratic and Working Families nominee for the 69th Assembly District on Manhattan's West Side.
Issues Eli is raising
Tenant protections and affordable housing
Supports a statewide right to counsel in eviction cases, Good Cause Eviction with its loopholes for LLC-owned and small buildings closed, and a statewide rental registry and housing voucher program. Wants a public Social Housing Development Authority to build permanently affordable homes, more state money for NYCHA repairs, and no privatization imposed on its residents.
Child care, grocery and transit costs, and taxes
Supports the Universal Child Care Act and raising taxes on corporations and the wealthiest 1% through the Invest in Our New York package. Backs the Consumer Grocery Pricing Fairness Act against price gouging and discriminatory pricing for smaller grocers, and wider Fair Fares transit discounts with automatic enrollment through programs like SNAP.
Single-payer health care and public coverage
Supports the New York Health Act to create a single-payer universal health system and expanding the Essential Plan to income-eligible New Yorkers regardless of immigration status. Also backs authorizing overdose prevention centers statewide, Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care, and more mental health and crisis-response services.
State cooperation with federal immigration enforcement
Supports abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In Albany, backs the New York for All bill to keep state resources out of federal immigration enforcement, a statewide right to counsel in immigration proceedings, the Dignity Not Detention Act barring state contracts with ICE for detention facilities, and food benefits for people excluded from SNAP by citizenship status.
Youth justice, parole and prisons
Supports a $50 million Youth Justice Innovation Fund drawn from Raise the Age money for community youth services, letting children consult a lawyer before police questioning, and extending youthful offender protections to ages 19 through 25. Also backs Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole reform, and ending forced labor in prisons in favor of an hourly wage for incarcerated workers.
Background
Based in Morningside Heights
A public defender in Bronx Criminal Court for more than a decade, he has served as policy director and as legal director of the Bronx Defenders' criminal defense practice. He won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary over Stephanie Ruskay, two years after finishing second to Micah Lasher for this seat.
- Born in Washington, D.C.
- Bachelor's degree in psychology, Cornell University, 2007
- J.D. cum laude, New York University School of Law, 2011, where he was an Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Fellow
- Clerked for federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- E. Barrett Prettyman Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center; LL.M. in trial advocacy, Georgetown, 2015
- Public defender in Bronx Criminal Court for more than a decade
- Formerly policy director of the Bronx Defenders' criminal defense practice and director of the Bronx Cannabis Hub, which helped people affected by the war on drugs apply for cannabis licenses
- Has served as legal director of the Bronx Defenders' criminal defense practice
- Led the Bronx Defenders' public policy work, including drafting bills and advocating on criminal justice, judicial reform and cannabis regulation
- A founder of the Communities Not Cages campaign and a member of its steering committee
- Board member of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and member of its Legislative Committee
- Former member of the New York City Bar's Civil Rights Committee
- Former member of UAW ALAA 2325; took part in the Bronx Defenders' 2020 effort to unionize
- Member of the Three Parks Democratic Club
- Ran for this seat in 2024 as the Working Families Party candidate; placed second in the June 25, 2024 Democratic primary with 34.4% of the vote, behind Micah Lasher
- Won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary over Stephanie Ruskay with 60.3% of the vote
- Advanced on the Working Families Party line without appearing on a ballot after that party's June 23, 2026 primary for the seat was canceled
- Renter; as a legal services attorney has represented people facing eviction
- Jewish; attended public schools
- Has lived in Morningside Heights for more than a decade
Support
Zohran Mamdani
Mayor of New York City
Bernie Sanders
“In this pivotal and dangerous moment in our country’s history, we need leaders at every level of government who are prepared to take on the billionaire class and fight for working families.”
— Sen. Bernie Sanders
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
“I am proud to endorse Eli Northrup for New York State Assembly to deliver a New York where everyone can afford to live and afford to dream.”
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Pat Ryan
“Someone who has shown up before — in service, in their community, in the hard moments. Someone like Eli.”
— Rep. Pat Ryan
Howard Dean
“Time and again, he’s chosen service over self-interest.”
— Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean
Money
$298K
raised
Top donors: Andrew Stanner, David Smiley, Cary London