Melvin Rivera, a Republican activist and tenant organizer, is his party's nominee for the open 7th congressional district seat in New York in 2026 against Democrat Claire Valdez.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Melvin Rivera.
Biography & Campaign Analysis
2026 race
Melvin Rivera, an activist and tenant organizer, is the Republican nominee for New York's 7th congressional district, which covers parts of Brooklyn and Queens, including Clinton Hill, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Woodhaven, Maspeth, Sunnyside and Long Island City.
The seat is open because Democratic incumbent Nydia Velázquez, who has served since 1993, announced her retirement in November 2025.
Rivera initially entered the Democratic primary, withdrew to run as a Republican, and was the only candidate in the Republican primary; he also holds the Conservative Party line.
He faces Democrat Claire Valdez, a state assemblymember from the 37th district who won the Democratic primary with 56.2% and is also on the Working Families Party line. Independent Priscilla Ghaznavi, a designer and artist, completes the field for the general election on November 3, 2026.