An Interview With District 12 Congressional Candidate Suraj Patel

“Some people want to do the job, some people want to be the job.”

Manhattan Neighborhood Network invited Congressional District 12 candidates Suraj Patel and Carolyn Maloney to debate and prove which contender has what it takes to lead Manhattan’s east side, Western Queens and Northern Brooklyn as they face off in a democratic primary election on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. Incumbent Congresswoman Maloney, who has been in the House of Representatives for 25 years, was unable to attend, so he is joined by Fordham University’s Dr. Christina Greer in a sit-down interview about his platform and talk about why he is the best candidate for the job. Patel— a former adviser on President Obama’s campaign, an ethics professor, a lawyer and an activist— wants to shake up the status quo of New York’s government by putting a fire under politicians to inspire them to fight for real change. Addressing the needs of this district, Patel prioritizes affordable, accessible housing and quality transportation, being an accurate representation of the district’s diversity within Congress, and protecting immigrant populations from unconstitutional bans, raids and deportations.

Will Patel prevail over bulwark Maloney by making politics accessible for a population known for low voter turnout? Watch his interview now.

See the rest of the candidates running for this year's House of Representatives elections, and stay tuned for up-to-date political coverage on Race To Represent.

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