New York State Assembly District 80: candidates

Current seat holder: John Zaccaro, Jr..

John Zaccaro Jr.

Born and raised in the Bronx by a single mother, John Zaccaro Jr. has lived the challenges that face our communities every day: housing insecurity, rising crime rates, subpar public education, and decreasing quality of life. This inspired John to dedicate his career to public service, uplifting the communities he grew up in and providing opportunities for his neighbors. With over 14 years of local service to the Bronx community, including his stellar tenure as Chief of Staff for Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, John enters the 80 th District of the New York State Assembly with a sense of rejuvenation and vigor.

Campaign site

“Revoking tobacco, liquor, and lottery licenses for bad actors is a critical tool to stem the tide of illegal and unregulated cannabis in our communities – but our work continues. I commend my colleagues in the legislature for their bipartisan support of A9520 and I deeply thank all the advocates representing New York’s cannabis industry for making their voices heard in Albany.” (Official legislative newsroom (nyassembly.gov))

“I appreciate my colleagues in the legislature for their support and give thanks to the advocates representing the New York cannabis industry.” (Official legislative newsroom (nyassembly.gov))

“We commend all sponsors and supporters for their unwavering dedication to upholding regulatory compliance and fostering a fair playing field for licensed operators as we work together to build a legal New York cannabis market with a bright future that gives back to New Yorkers, said Ali Amirhooshmand, Head of Government Relations, Dutchie .” (Official legislative newsroom (nyassembly.gov))

Denise Smith

Denise Smith (Conservative Party, Republican Party) is running for election to the New York State Assembly to represent District 80. The Conservative Party primary for this office on June 23, 2026, was canceled.

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