Federal

U.S. Representative, 7th Congressional District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 3
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A U.S. representative votes on federal laws and the federal budget in the U.S. House.

Covers part of Kings County and part of Queens County. The current representative, Nydia M. Velázquez (per the House Clerk's member list), is not on the ballot.

Candidates Compare by issue

Claire Valdez

Democratic, Working Families

State Assemblymember; union organizer

The gist

Pledges to sponsor Medicare for All.
Supports abolishing ICE and legalizing undocumented immigrants.
Supports repealing the Faircloth Amendment and funding NYCHA.
Supports the PRO Act and ending at-will employment.
Supports ending weapons sales and military aid to Israel.
Supports a Green New Deal and freezing electricity rates.
Supports tuition-free public higher education.

More about Claire

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Pledges to sponsor Medicare for All.
Claire Valdez for Congress
Campaign website · Claire Valdez for Congress · clairevaldezforcongress.com
“Claire will sponsor Medicare for All on Day One”
Supports abolishing ICE and legalizing undocumented immigrants.
Claire Valdez for Congress
Campaign website · Claire Valdez for Congress · clairevaldezforcongress.com
“Claire Valdez will fight to dismantle and abolish ICE. She will push for real immigration reform that legalizes the status of millions of immigrant Americans.”
Supports repealing the Faircloth Amendment and funding NYCHA.
Claire Valdez for Congress
Campaign website · Claire Valdez for Congress · clairevaldezforcongress.com
“She will fight to fully fund the New York City Housing Authority and repeal the Faircloth Amendment”
Supports the PRO Act and ending at-will employment.
Issues — Claire Valdez for Congress
Campaign website · Claire Valdez for Congress · clairevaldezforcongress.com
“Strengthen and pass the PRO Act, establish active federal support for union organizing, and end “at will” employment”
Supports ending weapons sales and military aid to Israel.
Issues — Claire Valdez for Congress
Campaign website · Claire Valdez for Congress · clairevaldezforcongress.com
“Push to end all weapons sales and military aid to Israel and fight for Palestinian freedom;”
Supports a Green New Deal and freezing electricity rates.
Issues — Claire Valdez for Congress
Campaign website · Claire Valdez for Congress · clairevaldezforcongress.com
“By ushering in a Green New Deal that creates millions of jobs … Call for freezing electricity rates”
Supports tuition-free public higher education.
Issues — Claire Valdez for Congress
Campaign website · Claire Valdez for Congress · clairevaldezforcongress.com
“Claire supports guaranteed access to tuition-free higher education”

Melvin Rivera

Republican, Conservative

Community activist

The gist

Supports a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act.
Supports an anti-flip tax on housing speculators.
Proposes letting families keep benefits while earning more.
Supports requiring warrants for immigration enforcement actions.
Supports expanding FOIL access to publicly funded entities.

More about Melvin

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Supports a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act.
Issues — Melvin for Congress
Campaign website · Melvin Rivera for Congress · melvinforcongress.com
“Grant tenants the first right to make an offer before public listing”
Supports an anti-flip tax on housing speculators.
Issues — Melvin for Congress
Campaign website · Melvin Rivera for Congress · melvinforcongress.com
“Pass an Anti-Flip Tax to stop predatory speculation”
Proposes letting families keep benefits while earning more.
Issues — Melvin for Congress
Campaign website · Melvin Rivera for Congress · melvinforcongress.com
“Allow families to retain benefits while advancing economically”
Supports requiring warrants for immigration enforcement actions.
Issues — Melvin for Congress
Campaign website · Melvin Rivera for Congress · melvinforcongress.com
“Require proper warrants for enforcement actions”
Supports expanding FOIL access to publicly funded entities.
Issues — Melvin for Congress
Campaign website · Melvin Rivera for Congress · melvinforcongress.com
“Expand FOIL access to all publicly funded entities”

Priscilla Ghaznavi

Our Future

Designer

The gist

Supports expanding housing and homeownership opportunities.
Supports coordinated services for neurodiversity and mental health.
Opposes unlimited Super PAC spending in federal elections.
Supports Voting Rights Act protections against vote dilution.
Supports federal investment in clean energy and resilient infrastructure.
Supports U.S. participation in the UN and NATO.

More about Priscilla

View sources (1)

Supports expanding housing and homeownership opportunities.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Congressional District 7 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of New York State (VOTE411), answers written by the candidate · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I would expand housing and homeownership opportunities, improve access to affordable healthcare and childcare”
Supports coordinated services for neurodiversity and mental health.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Congressional District 7 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of New York State (VOTE411), answers written by the candidate · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support coordinated healthcare, education, employment, housing and community services, with earlier intervention, caregiver resources and specialized care.”
Opposes unlimited Super PAC spending in federal elections.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Congressional District 7 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of New York State (VOTE411), answers written by the candidate · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I also oppose unlimited Super PAC spending, which could undermine equal candidate financing.”
Supports Voting Rights Act protections against vote dilution.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Congressional District 7 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of New York State (VOTE411), answers written by the candidate · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support the Voting Rights Act and its protections against discrimination based on race, color and protected language minority status.”
Supports federal investment in clean energy and resilient infrastructure.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Congressional District 7 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of New York State (VOTE411), answers written by the candidate · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The federal government should invest in clean energy, efficient buildings and climate-resilient infrastructure”
Supports U.S. participation in the UN and NATO.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Congressional District 7 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of New York State (VOTE411), answers written by the candidate · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I support U.S. participation in the UN and our commitment to NATO.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 7 issues covered in this race.