Osina Wins New York Assembly Seat in 23rd District
Democrat Pesach Osina defeated Republican Thomas Sullivan to win the 23rd Assembly District seat in New York's Tuesday election.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Pesach Osina won election to the New York State Assembly from the 23rd Assembly District, defeating Republican Thomas Sullivan in Tuesday's general election. Osina will succeed retiring Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato, who chose not to seek another term after a decade representing the district.
Why it matters
The seat changes hands as Pheffer Amato steps down after a decade in office, giving the district a new representative in the state Assembly. Osina's win in a Democratic-leaning district signals continuity for voters in the seat as legislative priorities take shape in Albany.
Osina took approximately 61 percent of the vote in the June Democratic primary against Mike Scala, an official primary result. The extraction does not report the general election vote totals or margin over Republican Thomas Sullivan.
The players
Pesach Osina
Osina is the Democratic winner of the 23rd Assembly District seat and will succeed Stacey Pheffer Amato in Albany.
Stacey Pheffer Amato
Pheffer Amato represented the 23rd Assembly District for a decade and declined to seek another term, endorsing Osina as her successor.
Thomas Sullivan
Sullivan is an Army veteran who ran on the Republican and Conservative lines and previously challenged Pheffer Amato.
The details
Osina, a Democrat, defeated Republican and Conservative candidate Thomas Sullivan, an Army veteran who had previously challenged Pheffer Amato. The 23rd Assembly District covers Far Rockaway, Rockaway Park, Howard Beach and surrounding neighborhoods in Queens, and Pheffer Amato endorsed Osina's candidacy.
Timeline
June 2026: Osina won the Democratic primary over Mike Scala.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Osina won the general election over Thomas Sullivan.
January 2027: Osina takes office in the New York State Assembly in Albany.
Political Context
The election follows the standard pattern of an open Assembly seat being filled after an incumbent declines to run again. Republican and Conservative challengers such as Sullivan have contested this district before, and the outcome keeps the seat under Democratic control.
Residents of Far Rockaway, Rockaway Park and Howard Beach will have a new state Assembly representative starting in January. Constituents can expect a new point of contact in Albany for school, family, business and community institution concerns in the district.
The takeaway
Leadership changes in local legislative seats often reshape constituent services, so voters in the 23rd District may want to introduce themselves to their new assemblymember once January's session begins.
What happens next
Osina will take office in January 2027 when the new Assembly session begins.
Further reading
Explore more New York Elections coverage for context on how state legislative races are shaping up.
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