Public Health Professional Enters Race for Manhattan Congressional Seat

A public health professional with leadership experience at multiple global health organizations announced a run for the Democratic nomination in New York’s 12th Congressional District. The seat is being vacated by the retiring representative. The candidate said the decision followed federal reductions in public health staffing and the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization.

Additional motivation came from difficulties reaching congressional offices during an unexplained infectious disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier in 2025.

The candidate has held policy and leadership roles at the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, GAVI, and UNICEF. A profile in The Lancet described the individual as a global health expert who has worked on HIV prevention, tuberculosis control, and pandemic treaty negotiations.

The Democratic primary field includes four candidates with backgrounds in state legislative service or family political connections. The candidate reported that raising several million dollars and securing long-standing political relationships are viewed as necessary steps.

A former congressional candidate who ran in a different New York district in 2020 stated that candidates typically must raise millions of dollars. The current candidate also cited party organizational structures and public perceptions of scientists as additional factors.

"Almost everybody I speak to is concerned that science has been cut," the candidate said. The candidate added that scientists are often told their problem-solving skills are needed in Congress.