Helen Qiu

According to her campaign website, Qiu is a naturalized U.S. citizen, since 2004, who came to New York from China.[2] She earned a bachelor's degree from Zhongshan University in 1990, a graduate degree from Reformed Seminary in 2007, and a graduate degree from Columbia University in 2010.[1] Her career has included work as a pastor, teacher, engineer and engineering manager; her campaign website describes a career spanning Silicon Valley engineering to pastoring and says she managed multimillion-dollar technology projects.[1][2] The website refers to Mamre Christian Church as her church and says she is an adjunct professor at Manhattan College.[2]

Ballotpedia lists Qiu as affiliated with the New York City Education Council, and her campaign website says she was Vice President of the Community Education Council from 2021 to 2023.[1][2] She ran for this Assembly seat in 2022 as the Republican nominee and lost to Grace Lee, 76% to 23.7%.[1] She then ran for New York City Council District 1 against incumbent Christopher Marte in 2023, receiving 30.9%, and again in 2025, losing 71.6% to 28%.[1] She advanced as the Republican candidate for the open Assembly seat in 2026 after the Republican primary was canceled.[1] During the campaign, she emphasized public safety, changes to bail law, and opposing what she calls government overreach.[1][2] In the November 3, 2026 general election, Qiu lost to Illapa Sairitupac, according to unofficial results from the NYC Board of Elections and Wikipedia.[3][4]