Gov

Primary Election

PRIMARY WAS JUN 23

NY AssemblyNew York - 56

PrimaryDemocratic Party

Open seat in NY-56 draws three Democratic primary challengers

The 2026 Democratic primary for New York Assembly District 56 is an open-seat race with no incumbent on the ballot. Three candidates—Michael Bailey, Stefani L. Zinerman, and Eon Huntley—are competing, each emphasizing distinct priorities such as housing, environmental justice, and racial equity. The absence of an incumbent and limited public fundraising data make the race highly competitive and uncertain.

Issues

10 issues · 3 candidates · every claim sourced

Housing

Bailey calls for deeper affordability reflecting actual incomes, noting that over 27% of Bed-Stuy households earn less than 30% of AMI, while Zinerman advocates for stabilizing costs, strengthening tenant protections, and opposing luxury developments that don't serve community needs.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman advocates for stabilizing housing costs and preventing displacement. She supports strengthening rent stabilization and tenant protection laws, cracking down on landlord harassment and illegal evictions, expanding free legal representation for tenants, and fighting for Good Cause Eviction protections statewide. She also defends homeowners from deed theft and foreclosure by strengthening protections, expanding legal assistance, and holding banks accountable. She promotes expanding homeownership through down payment assistance, community land trusts, and stricter regulations on investor speculation. She opposes luxury developments that don't serve community needs and supports community benefit agreements and commercial rent stabilization.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Housing page
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Michael Bailey

Michael Bailey supports new affordable housing in Bed-Stuy but calls for deeper affordability that reflects the actual income levels of current residents. He notes that over 27% of Bed-Stuy households earn less than 30% of Area Median Income, while only 19% of rental units are affordable at that level, and that nearly 30% of residents spend over half their income on rent. He advocates for stronger tenant protections and opportunities for working families to stay and build wealth in the neighborhood.

Bailey for 56 campaign page
EH

Eon Huntley

Defend rent control, pass the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, protect NYCHA from privatization, expand Good Cause Eviction, support a Social Housing Development Authority to build deeply affordable units, and fight deed theft.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

Environmental Justice

Zinerman supports environmental justice for frontline neighborhoods, while the broader platform calls for a Green New Deal, opposing new fossil-fuel infrastructure, and funding climate resilience.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman supports environmental justice for frontline neighborhoods as part of her Equity & Inclusion agenda.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Platform page
EH

Eon Huntley

Fight for a Green New Deal for New York, oppose new fossil-fuel infrastructure, fund climate resilience, support the Build Public Renewables Act, and push for green schoolyards and renewable energy upgrades in schools.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Bailey

Youth, Education & Leadership

Zinerman supports investing in youth through community programs and workforce training, while the platform advocates for fully funding public schools, free childcare, and free CUNY/SUNY, opposing charter school privatization.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman supports investing in young people through community-based youth development programs, civic and leadership training, workforce training, and career preparation.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Platform page
EH

Eon Huntley

Fully fund public schools, guarantee free childcare, and fight for free universal CUNY and SUNY. Supports the Universal Child Care Act, the Green Schools for a Healthier New York platform, and opposes charter school privatization.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Bailey

LGBTQ+ Protections

Zinerman supports LGBTQ+ protections and affirming community resources, while the platform calls for defending gender-affirming care, expanding resources for at-risk LGBTQI+ youth, and creating a suicide prevention task force.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman supports LGBTQ+ protections and affirming community resources as part of her Equity & Inclusion agenda.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Platform page
EH

Eon Huntley

Defend gender-affirming care, expand resources for at-risk LGBTQI+ youth, fight Trump's attacks, support the Gender Identity Respect, Dignity, and Safety Act for incarcerated individuals, and create a suicide prevention task force.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Bailey

Healthcare Access

Zinerman supports protecting healthcare access by defending the ACA, expanding Medicaid, and supporting community health centers, while the platform advocates for universal free healthcare via the New York Health Act, including reproductive and gender-affirming care.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman supports protecting healthcare access by defending the Affordable Care Act, expanding Medicaid, fighting for lower prescription drug costs, supporting community health centers in underserved neighborhoods, and ensuring mental health services are accessible and affordable.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Affordability page
EH

Eon Huntley

Guarantee free healthcare and reproductive rights for all New Yorkers. Supports the New York Health Act for universal healthcare free at point of service, including maternity care, abortion, gender-affirming care, and full funding for Brooklyn hospitals.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Bailey

Immigration

Bailey supports a court ruling barring ICE arrests in NYC courthouses to ensure courts remain places of justice, while the platform calls for passing the NY For All Act to stop state and local cooperation with ICE and extending benefits regardless of status.

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Michael Bailey

Michael Bailey supports a court ruling that bars ICE from making immigration arrests in New York City courthouses, arguing that courts should be places of justice and due process, not fear and intimidation. He believes that constitutional rights only matter when people can safely exercise them, and that immigrant communities contribute to neighborhoods, small businesses, culture, and the economy.

Bailey for 56 campaign page
EH

Eon Huntley

Pass the NY For All Act to stop state and local cooperation with ICE, support the Dignity Not Detention bill, extend healthcare and unemployment benefits regardless of status, and ensure quality legal representation for immigrants.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Zinerman

Income & Jobs

Zinerman supports community hiring laws, expanding apprenticeships, raising the minimum wage, and strengthening worker protections, while the platform calls for a $30/hr minimum wage, protecting union rights, and ensuring union jobs in public projects.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman supports policies to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out, including community hiring laws that require public projects to hire locally with family-sustaining wages, expanding apprenticeship programs in construction, healthcare, tech, and green energy, supporting skills training and vocational programs, and partnering with unions and community colleges. She also advocates for raising the minimum wage, strengthening worker protections, fighting wage theft, and ensuring fair scheduling and overtime for gig workers and contract employees.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Income page
EH

Eon Huntley

Stand with workers, protect union rights, fight for a $30/hr state minimum wage, reform the Taylor Law to allow public unions the right to strike, and ensure union jobs in public renewable energy, green schools, and social housing.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Bailey

Health, Safety & Well Being

Zinerman's platform includes expanding the Volunteer Health Corps, protecting elders from scams, and improving mental health accessibility, while also fighting utility rate hikes and holding monopolies like ConEd accountable.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman's platform includes expanding the Volunteer Health Corps, protecting elders from scams, creating youth pathways and safety programs, and improving mental health accessibility.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Platform page
EH

Eon Huntley

Fight utility rate hikes, hold monopolies like ConEd and National Grid accountable, and push for full implementation of the Build Public Renewables Act to create publicly-owned, union-built renewable energy.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Bailey

Reproductive Rights

Zinerman supports women and families on reproductive rights as part of her Equity & Inclusion agenda, while the platform affirms abortion as healthcare and supports reproductive healthcare on demand, contraception, and comprehensive sex education.

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Stefani L. Zinerman

Zinerman's platform includes supporting women and families on reproductive rights, childcare access, and pay equity as part of her Equity & Inclusion agenda.

Zinerman for NY Assembly 56 - Platform page
EH

Eon Huntley

Abortion is healthcare; supports reproductive healthcare on demand, contraception, comprehensive sex education, STI prevention, and prenatal/postpartum care. Part of broader healthcare platform.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Bailey

No Genocide, No War

The platform calls for ending US funding for genocide, voting for the Not on Our Dime Act to stop New York institutions from supporting illegal settlements, and supporting the BDS movement.

EH

Eon Huntley

End US funding for genocide, vote for the Not on Our Dime Act to stop New York institutions from supporting illegal settlements, support the BDS movement, and oppose US funding for wars and sanctions against Iran, Cuba, and other countries.

Eon for Assembly - Platform

No public position yet from Zinerman, Bailey