Grassroots Groups Make a Last-Ditch Push to Unseat Rep. Nicole Malliotakis

NEW YORK — Grassroots organizers are mobilizing to oust New York City’s only Republican member of Congress, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, with little help from the Democratic establishment. Their main argument is President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which added significant paperwork requirements to Medicaid that are expected to leave millions of low-income Americans uninsured. What the Law Could Mean for the District Once the law is fully implemented, as many as 60,000 residents of Malliotakis’ south Brooklyn and Staten Island district are projected to lose health insurance, according to a state Department of Health analysis. Hospitals would absorb an estimated $60 million in uncompensated care costs. Staten Island’s only independent hospital is already close to a merger after years of financial losses. In the final days of the campaign, organizers from New Kings Democrats, a progressive-leaning faction of Brooklyn Democrats, and NY-11 for Health Care, a grassroots group of health care activists, are warning that the seat could be a missed opportunity as Democrats try to expand the map. They are drawing attention to Mike DeCillis, who is making his third run for the seat. Sunset Park district leader Julio Peña III, who is locked in a legal battle over the future of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, said many see the district as a long shot but that Democrats shouldn’t give up or cede ground to Republicans. An Uphill Climb By most measures, the race is a tough one. The Democratic establishment has largely written the seat off, and many of the city’s major unions are sitting out. Other red-leaning seats, such as the 21st District in the North Country, held by outgoing Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, have drawn late money as Democrats see an opening amid frustration over rising costs under the Trump administration. Malliotakis won reelection by close to 30 points in 2024, when Trump carried the district by 24 points. The district had been on Democrats’ radar until their redistricting effort fell through. She also beat former Democratic Rep. Max Rose by 24 points in 2022 after the lines were redrawn. Democrats had a sliver of hope when Allison Ziogas, a union electrician, entered the race with help from a top adviser to Mayor Zohran Mamdani. She dropped out before the primary, citing health issues. The Candidate and the Money Gap Allies say DeCillis’ background makes him a strong contender in a blue-collar district. He has worked as a paramedic, a New York Police Department officer, an attorney and a special education teacher, and has also worked in the state Assembly. A fourth-generation Staten Islander who now lives in south Brooklyn, he said he decided to run because of Malliotakis’ vote for Trump’s megalaw, and he became a regular at the weekly “Malliotakis Monday” protests outside her office that began last year. National Democrats haven’t taken notice, though. DeCillis had raised just under $200,000 and had $100,000 in the bank as of mid-October. Malliotakis had $2.8 million. Some Democrats are encouraged by his ground game. Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander, who has a strong base in Brooklyn, helped canvass and urged his large social media following to watch the race. Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democratic National Committee vice chair, visited earlier this month to support canvassing and called DeCillis’ work “a recipe for an upset.” A Changing Electorate Republicans have made gains in South Brooklyn, which has large Asian and Latino communities, flipping a handful of state legislative seats in recent cycles. Staten Island is viewed as a Republican stronghold, though a growing immigrant population could cut into that advantage. Former City Council member Justin Brannan noted that New Yorkers travel hundreds of miles to knock on doors in swing districts elsewhere while a competitive district sits in their own city. Frustration With Party Support The Staten Island Democratic Party endorsed DeCillis after the primary, and Assemblymember Charles Fall, the party chair, donated $250. Allies still accuse the organization of offering too little help without national groups involved. Fall said the county party supports its endorsed candidates but acknowledged the seat is hard to win. A candidate’s fundraising matters, he said, because outside groups don’t treat a race as serious if the money isn’t there. He added that he trusts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and where Democratic leadership has chosen to spend this year. Health Care as the Central Issue Surveys show voters generally favor Democrats on tackling rising health care costs, an edge Republicans are trying to erode. Malliotakis attended the opening of a Staten Island facility for medically tailored meals, which have played a key role in a multibillion-dollar state Medicaid pilot, and promoted her push to pilot the service for chronically ill seniors on Medicare. On Thursday she appeared with the head of the Internal Revenue Service to highlight the law’s tax cuts. A recent campaign ad says she stood up to both parties to strengthen Medicaid and Medicare for New Yorkers. Support from major health care groups has been limited. Protect Our Care is mostly focusing on Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in the Hudson Valley. The health care union 1199SEIU, though it joined the Malliotakis Monday protests, has issued no endorsement. According to a DeCillis campaign spokesperson, the union considered backing Ziogas, then told DeCillis it wouldn’t endorse. Health care activist Mark Hannay, co-founder of NY-11 for Health Care, said the effort has been shoestring and practically all volunteers. The Republican Response Malliotakis campaign spokesperson Rob Ryan said he doesn’t see the “great blue wave” Democrats keep talking about, adding that Democrats threw up their hands once they realized they couldn’t redistrict the seat. Looking Ahead A state constitutional amendment to allow mid-decade redistricting goes before voters next year, though passage isn’t guaranteed. If it succeeds, Malliotakis’ seat would be a top target for redrawing. Local Democrats have suggested Rose could run, as could Fall, who said “all options are on the table,” and Brannan. Staten Island-based civil rights advocate Janos Marton said local and national Democrats could have done much more to help DeCillis, but that the enthusiasm of the organizers knocking on doors might be enough to catch the Democratic wave.