Claire Valdez
Claire Valdez is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Assembly representing the 37th District since 2025. A progressive Democrat and a member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, she represents part of the Borough of Queens.
Early life
Originally from Lubbock, Texas, Valdez moved to New York City in 2015 and lives in Ridgewood, Queens. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and Socialist Majority Caucus. She is "a dual citizen of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Nation and the United States."Early career
Valdez served as a program assistant in the visual arts program at Columbia University before the beginning of her term as an assembly member after having attempted to establish an art career. She was an organizer with United Auto Workers and is an activist with the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.New York State Assembly
In the 2024 New York State Assembly election, Valdez was a candidate in the 37th district. In the Democratic Party primary, Valdez defeated Johanna Carmona by 27 percentage points and incumbent Juan Ardila by 48 percentage points. She was endorsed by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and had support from the Working Families Party. She ran unopposed for the seat in the November general election.Amid the investigations into Mayor of New York City Eric Adams, she publicly called for his resignation. She endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 New York City mayoral election.
Early in 2026, Valdez announced her campaign in the 2026 United States House of Representatives election, in the state's seventh House district.