Biography
Robert Speranza is the Republican nominee for NY State Assembly District 26, having defeated Philip Grillo in the June 2026 Republican primary.[1][2] According to his campaign website, he is a retired NYPD officer and lifelong Bayside resident who began his career as a NYC probation officer. He previously ran against incumbent Edward Braunstein in the 2022 and 2024 general elections, losing both.[2][3]
According to his campaign website, Speranza is a lifelong resident of Bayside who attended Holy Cross High School and graduated from St. John's University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice.[3] He began his career as a NYC Probation Officer and then joined the NYPD, where he says he served for 20 years; he describes himself as a retired NYPD officer.[3] The site lists earlier volunteer and civic roles including the NYPD Auxiliary Police, the Bayside Ambulance Corps, Queens Community Board 11, an executive board seat at a local hospital, and the Fraternal Order of Police and Knights of Columbus as an officer.[3]
Speranza first ran against Edward Braunstein in the 2022 general election, receiving 45.5% of the vote on the Republican and Conservative lines. He ran again in 2024 on the Conservative and Common Sense lines and received 31.9%; Braunstein won both races.[2] On June 23, 2026, he won the Republican primary over Philip Grillo, 61.5% to 37.8%, to become the Republican nominee.[2][1]
- 1.New York State Assembly District 26 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.Robert Speranza · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 3.About Rob · Rob Speranza for State Assembly Candidate's own words
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
