Frum Jewish Community Figure Pesach Osina Launches Bid For Queens Assembly Seat With Incumbent’s Backing

Pesach Osina, a frum Jewish government aide with long ties to southeast Queens, announced Tuesday that he is running for New York State Assembly District 23, a seat that includes the Rockaways, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, and South Ozone Park.

Osina is entering the race with the endorsement of outgoing Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato, who is vacating the seat after a decade in Albany.

“I’m proud to endorse my good friend Pesach Osina for NYS Assembly. I’ve worked hand in hand with Pesach over the last decade and know he will show up and deliver for our community. Pesach will be a commonsense legislator in Albany by supporting our first responders and law enforcement, fighting to make our neighborhoods more affordable, and standing up for our community. In challenging times like these we need a leader who knows how to cut through the noise and focus on what’s really important. That’s Pesach Osina and that’s why I’m strongly endorsing him for NYS Assembly,” said Pheffer Amato.

Osina has spent more than 20 years working in government, including roles connected to the Assembly district, the New York City Comptroller’s office, and, most recently, the New York City Council Speaker’s office, where he has served for the past four years.

Announcing his candidacy, Osina described his experience in a social media post:

“In these roles, I wasn’t focused on titles; I was focused on people. I listened, I educated, I advocated, and I helped residents navigate government so they could get real, meaningful results. With so much uncertainty, we need elected leaders who understand how to make government work for working people. That’s what I’ve done my whole career and that’s how I’ll deliver for our communities as our next Assemblymember,” Osina said.

State elections records show that Osina is not alone in seeking the open seat. According to the New York State Board of Elections’ public filings, both Osina and Mike Scala, a Democratic attorney based in South Queens, have filed paperwork to run for Assembly District 23.

Pheffer Amato, a Democrat, confirmed in November that she will not run for reelection.

On the Republican side, Tom Sullivan is planning to enter the race, according to a GOP insider.

Before Osina’s announcement, neither he nor Scala had formally launched their campaigns, though political insiders said Osina was expected to declare his candidacy early in the new year, according to local outlet The Wave.

Osina has lived in Far Rockaway since 1999, previously sought a City Council seat in 2013 during a special election to replace James Sanders Jr., who resigned after being elected to the State Senate. At the time, Osina was serving on the staff of then-Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder and entered a crowded field of eight candidates vying for the Council District 31 seat, which covers the eastern portion of the Rockaway peninsula. Despite the crowded race, Osina finished with one of the stronger showings.

A board member of the Jewish Community Council of the Rockaway Peninsula, Osina drew strong support from Far Rockaway’s Orthodox Jewish community during that campaign. His platform emphasized “safety and security” and youth-focused initiatives, along with calls for increased funding for schools and afterschool programs and additional flood-mitigation resources following Hurricane Sandy.