Jonathan Rinaldi
No Kings Party
Lost the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary to Andrew Hevesi (11.8% of the vote); remains on the general-election ballot on the No Kings Party line.
Jonathan Rinaldi is a perennial Queens candidate running on the No Kings Party line for NY State Assembly District 28 after losing the Democratic primary to incumbent Andrew Hevesi. He was arrested in June 2026 on fraud charges related to his 2025 City Council campaign.[1][7]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
On the record — official actions
- legal2026-06-24 · Arrested and arraigned on June 24, 2026 on nearly 20 counts of fraud tied to his 2025 New York City Council campaign against Lynn Schulman; prosecutors say he used AI-generated content, including fabricated endorsements attributed to public figures and fake news articles mimicking real outlets. The Queens Daily Eagle reported he also used AI-generated deepfake videos and images during both the 2025 City Council campaign and his 2026 Assembly primary campaign, though he was charged only over the 2025 campaign. He faces up to two years in prison if convicted.[7]
Positions on the issues
- OpposesLoosen zoning rules to build more housing
Listed opposition to New York City's "City of Yes" zoning overhaul, which eased zoning rules to allow more housing citywide, as one of three key campaign messages.[9]
“No to the City of Yes”
In their words — priorities
- Community first; opposition to New York City's "City of Yes" zoning changes; a message that "it's not about the party, it's about policy."[9]
- Says he is passionate about public safety, healthcare, education, parental rights, and affordable housing, and describes his approach as practical policies and responsible budgeting.[9]