Overview
- Ra was chosen Monday in a unanimous conference vote to succeed Will Barclay, who resigned the role and will not seek reelection.
- Assemblymember Mary Beth Walsh formally nominated Ra for the leadership post.
- He becomes the first Long Island Republican to lead the Assembly conference since 1978, following Perry B. Duryea Jr.
- A veteran ranking member on Ways and Means first elected in 2010, Ra emphasizes budget credentials and critiques Democrats’ spending approach to affordability.
- He pledges cooperation with Speaker Carl Heastie on shared priorities and signals no immediate structural changes to the caucus.