You are reading

Andrew Yang Cross Endorses Council Candidates Richard Lee and Sandra Ung

Richard Lee, left, is a candidate seeking the Democratic nomination for New York City Council’s 19th District, with Andrew Yang and Sandra Ung, who is running to represent the 20th District (Photo Courtesy of Richard Lee)

May 19, 2021 By Ryan Songalia

Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang cross-endorsed a pair of city council candidates Monday running in separate districts in northeast Queens.

Yang voiced his support for Richard Lee of District 19 and Sandra Ung of District 20, calling them “two rising AAPI leaders” in New York.

“As hate crimes continue to devastate our neighborhoods, and as we work to rebuild our communities in the wake of the pandemic, increasing AAPI representation in government is going to be critical to ensuring a fair recovery,” Yang said.

“I am determined to do everything in my power as Mayor to put AAPI New Yorkers front and center in our recovery plans,” Yang said.

Lee, who aims to replace the term-limited Paul Vallone, said that Yang’s presidential run last year was inspiring for Asian Americans.

“It was clear to me then that Andrew was running for office to truly help people, and this has only become more evident as we’ve gotten to know each other over the past few months,” said Lee, who previously worked in the budget office for the Queens Borough President as well as in the budget office for State Sen. Leroy Comrie.

“The pandemic has brought to light many long-standing issues that were hidden under the auspices of a good economy, and we need leaders who are both people oriented and forward thinking to rebuild New York,” Lee said.

Ung, whose district includes the Asian-American enclave of downtown Flushing, is running to replace the term-limited Peter Koo. Like Yang, she is a graduate of Columbia Law School.

“[Yang] has paid attention to our needs and placed them at the center of his campaign. I look forward to working with Andrew to place bold and innovative solutions to our most pressing problems at the center of city government,” said Ung, who has worked for the offices of Congresswoman Grace Meng and former State Assemblymember Jimmy Meng.

Yang, a Taiwanese-American businessman, would be the first mayor of Asian descent in the city’s history if elected.

He’s been among the frontrunners in the race, though he slipped to second place in the latest Emerson College/PIX11 poll. He is tied with City Comptroller Scott Stringer at 15 percent, and trailing Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams at 18 percent.

Yang has scored significant endorsements from several Asian American elected representatives, including Meng and State Assemblymember Ron Kim.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Queens Together launches ‘Unofficial US Open Dining Guide’ encouraging fans to sample restaurants along the 7 line

Aug. 20, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

The US Open returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this Sunday, with more than 1 million attendees anticipated to take mass transit to the iconic annual tennis event. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to take the 7 out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there is a world of delicious local eateries lying beneath the elevated train tracks should any fan wish to stop en-route to the US Open.

Can Queens’ food scene thrive with both trucks and restaurants?

Aug. 19, 2025 By Jessica Militello

In Jackson Heights at 4 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, Roosevelt Avenue is buzzing with energy as commuters file in and out of subway cars and onto the street and cars and trucks grapple to get down the busy road. The street is filled with rows of shops and restaurants, along with food carts, street vendors and food trucks along the avenue. The almost-but-not-quite the weekend lag leaves hungry commuters faced with another choice to make throughout their day and the array of food truck options in busy areas like Jackson Heights offers customers convenience and delicious food without breaking the bank, two features that can feel vital, particularly with rising costs of living and pressure from inflation.

Lithium-ion battery sparked Murray Hill house fire on Sunday evening: FDNY

FDNY fire marshals have determined that a Murray Hill house fire was caused by a lithium-ion battery on Sunday evening.

The FDNY responded to a report of a basement fire at 164-18 Pidgeon Meadow Rd., just before 7:30 p.m., where firefighters discovered approximately 100 lithium-ion batteries burning in the cellar. The property owner was operating an illegal lithium-ion battery repair business inside the home, and multiple micro-mobility devices and lithium-ion batteries were found in various states of disassembly and disrepair.