Louis Puliafito
R
Advanced from the Republican primary unopposed after Mike Zumbluskas withdrew.
Louis Puliafito is the Republican nominee, a longtime Yorkville resident and repeat candidate for this seat (also having run for NY State Senate District 28 in 2024 and Manhattan Borough President in 2021). He worked a 25-year IT career at Merrill Lynch and New York Life, and spent 20 years in SEIU 32BJ residential service, including eight years as a shop steward.[1][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Positions on the issues
- MixedPublic funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)
Focuses his education platform on curriculum fundamentals (reading, writing, math, science, civics) and limiting technology in classrooms rather than school-choice funding specifically.[3]
In their words — priorities
- Open primaries: says allowing independents to vote in party primaries would broaden the electorate and reduce the influence of party extremes.[3]
- Restricting minors' social media use and returning public schools to a renewed focus on paper, pencil and cursive writing alongside reading, writing, math, science and civics.[3]
- Affordability and economic opportunity, government accountability and fiscal responsibility, and public safety and quality of life.[3]
Background
- Earned an associate degree from LaGuardia Community College in 1985.[1]
- Built a 25-year career in information technology for Fortune 100 companies, starting in Merrill Lynch's mailroom and later developing financial applications and managing enterprise-wide systems at New York Life Insurance, and supporting charitable initiatives through the New York Life Foundation.[3]
- Spent 20 years in SEIU 32BJ residential service, including eight years as a shop steward.[3]
- Has run for this Assembly seat multiple times (including 2018 and 2020), for NY State Senate District 28 against Liz Krueger in 2024, and for Manhattan Borough President in 2021, without winning.[1]