New York State Assembly District 40 Republican/Conservative candidate Wang Shaoquan held a campaign fundraising dinner on June 14th, with former mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa and former NYPD Deputy Inspector Chen Wenye coming out to show their support.
Wang Shaoquan introduced himself as a spine doctor practicing in Flushing for 24 years, emphasizing his deep understanding of the area. Witnessing the changes in Flushing over the years, he believes that certain laws and policies in New York State need to be changed to address issues such as public safety. Therefore, he decided to run for office in order to make a difference at the state legislative level.
He highlighted several urgent issues that need to be addressed promptly, including the bail reform for petty crimes, the significant financial resources allocated to undocumented immigrants, and the prostitution issues in Flushing that have spread to Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights, and Corona. According to Wang, “Flushing is a residential and commercial area, and we should not bring issues like marijuana and legalized prostitution to these neighborhoods. We should focus on improving the roads, traffic lights, and cleanliness in Flushing with the funds at hand.”
Former NYPD Deputy Inspector Chen Wenye, who came to support Wang, expressed concerns about the impact of the cashless bail law passed in 2019 on public safety in New York. He criticized the state governor for unilaterally raising the annual salaries of state legislators by $32,000 in January 2023 without addressing the opportunity to negotiate revisions to the cashless bail law. With 38 years of experience in law enforcement, he has observed a sharp increase in crime rates following the implementation of the cashless bail law, where law-abiding citizens suffer while lawbreakers seem to thrive unfairly. Chen believes that it is crucial to have Republican lawmakers with “common sense” to bring about change, which is one of the reasons he supports Wang Shaoquan.
In the upcoming election for the 40th Assembly District, there will be no Republican primary, only a Democratic one. Wang Shaoquan will face the incumbent Assemblyman Jin Duixi in the general election on November 5th this year.
This election season in New York promises a contest between different visions for the future of the state, with candidates like Wang and Jin offering diverse approaches to issues that matter to the residents of the 40th Assembly District. It remains to be seen how the electorate will weigh the competing priorities and make their decision at the ballot box.