Thursday, October 22, 2026
Colleen Connaughton, of Garden City, a former journalist, is Assemblyman Ed Ra’s Democratic challenger in the 19th Assembly District. Her campaign is focused on health care, education, affordability, infrastructure and reducing political polarization.
Connaughton, 61, was born and raised in Queens in a working-class union family. She earned an undergraduate degree at Columbia University, and studied political science and international public affairs as a graduate student. She spent nearly two decades as a journalist for Reuters, working primarily in television. Her work took her to Europe, Asia and Africa, where she covered wars, politics and social issues and interviewing international leaders.
“I think my experience in other countries gives me a very unique position to go into somewhere like Albany and call them out a little bit on what they’re doing there,” Connaughton said.
Education is one of her priorities. Technology, she said, should support education rather than replace traditional learning, particularly for younger students. Connaughton supports a greater emphasis on handwriting, recess, mental health and reading books, and believes schools should reconsider how extensively they use artificial intelligence and other technology in classrooms.
“They only have a very short period to build their brains and to build the neural pathways they need as the foundation for the rest of their long lives,” she said of students.
Health care is another focus. Connaughton said her experience living abroad influenced her views of the American health care system. She supports reducing costs and expanding access, including exploring broader government-supported health care. She also expressed concerns about the influence of the health care and pharmaceutical industries on public policy.
“I think we need grown-up politicians who are not beholden to special interests,” she said.
Affordability and housing are issues Connaughton has also focused on, and, she said, residents have raised concerns about both during her campaign. Younger people are struggling to afford homes on Long Island, she said, and residents want to preserve the suburban character and safety of their communities.
Connaughton identified infrastructure and energy as two more major priorities. She supports modernizing electrical infrastructure, expanding renewable energy and improving transportation systems. Her exposure to infrastructure and technology in other countries, she said, has provided examples that could spur ideas for New York.
Throughout her campaign, she has attended civic meetings, street fairs and community events across the district. Residents have raised concerns, she said, about housing, traffic, overcrowding, public safety and the future of Long Island.
Connaughton describes herself as a supporter of law enforcement, and said that public safety remains an important concern for families across Long Island. She also describes herself as “purple,” saying she is willing to consider and address concerns raised by both political parties.
Connaughton said her campaign is motivated by concerns about future generations and a desire to bring her experience in journalism, international affairs and community life into public service. “I really care about the future of our country, our children and what we’re passing on to the next generation,” she said.
