Skyler Johnson

Skyler Johnson (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) ran for election to the New York State Assembly to represent District 4. He did not appear on the ballot for the general election on November 5, 2024. He lost in the Democratic primary on June 25, 2024.

Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Skyler Johnson was born in Port Jefferson Station, New York. He earned a bachelor's degree from Stony Brook University in 2022. His career experience includes working as a nonprofit professional.^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for New York State Assembly District 4

Rebecca Kassay defeated incumbent Edward Flood in the general election for New York State Assembly District 4 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rebecca Kassay (D)	50.7	30,795
	Submit photo	Edward Flood (R / Conservative Party)	49.3	29,964

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 60,759
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Skyler Johnson (Working Families Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New York State Assembly District 4

Rebecca Kassay defeated Skyler Johnson in the Democratic primary for New York State Assembly District 4 on June 25, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Rebecca Kassay	64.1	3,479
	Skyler Johnson	35.9	1,951

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,430
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Edward Flood advanced from the Republican primary for New York State Assembly District 4.

Conservative Party primary election

The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Incumbent Edward Flood advanced from the Conservative Party primary for New York State Assembly District 4.

Working Families Party primary election

The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Skyler Johnson advanced from the Working Families Party primary for New York State Assembly District 4.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

Johnson received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Johnson's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.

State Assm. Charles Lavine (D)
Member, NY State Assembly Karines Reyes (D)
State Assm. Fred Thiele (D)
State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli (D)

2022

General election

General election for New York State Senate District 1

Incumbent Anthony Palumbo defeated Skyler Johnson in the general election for New York State Senate District 1 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Anthony Palumbo (R / Conservative Party)	56.0	73,624
	Skyler Johnson (D / Working Families Party)	43.9	57,739
	Other/Write-in votes	0.0	14

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 131,377
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Skyler Johnson advanced from the Democratic primary for New York State Senate District 1.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Anthony Palumbo advanced from the Republican primary for New York State Senate District 1.

Conservative Party primary election

The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Incumbent Anthony Palumbo advanced from the Conservative Party primary for New York State Senate District 1.

Working Families Party primary election

The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Skyler Johnson advanced from the Working Families Party primary for New York State Senate District 1.

2020

General election

General election for New York State Senate District 1

Anthony Palumbo defeated Laura Ahearn in the general election for New York State Senate District 1 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Anthony Palumbo (R / Conservative Party)	51.7	86,975
	Laura Ahearn (D / Protect the Taxpayer Party)	48.3	81,265
	Other/Write-in votes	0.0	33

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 168,273
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Valerie Cartright (Working Families Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New York State Senate District 1

Laura Ahearn defeated Valerie Cartright, Thomas Schiavoni, Skyler Johnson, and Nora Higgins in the Democratic primary for New York State Senate District 1 on June 23, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Laura Ahearn	34.2	8,429
		Valerie Cartright	26.7	6,576
		Thomas Schiavoni	23.6	5,825
		Skyler Johnson	11.5	2,830
	Submit photo	Nora Higgins	3.9	952
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	29

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,641
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Anthony Palumbo advanced from the Republican primary for New York State Senate District 1.

Conservative Party primary election

The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Anthony Palumbo advanced from the Conservative Party primary for New York State Senate District 1.

Working Families Party primary election

The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Valerie Cartright advanced from the Working Families Party primary for New York State Senate District 1.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Skyler Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up on Long Island. I attended Mount Sinai School District, where my family was deeply rooted - my mother attended as well, and my grandmother was the District Clerk. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Stony Brook University. I'm a member of the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Action Fund. In that role, I am helping to lead the fight to pass the equal rights amendment in November and codify the right to choose and equal protections for all into our state constitution. I'm a non-profit worker currently focusing on preventing overdose deaths in the USA. In my various non-profit roles, I've spent countless hours in the halls of Albany fighting for the working class. I've drafted legislation to benefit New Yorkers, and I've worked to help pass bills - such as Fair Access To Victim's Compensation, to make New York safer for everyone. I'm also a trustee for my synagogue, Temple Beth Emeth of Mount Sinai. Previously, I worked for Mayor Jesse Warren of Southampton Village.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Building a brighter future for Long Island will take all of us. I'm building a coalition for this campaign - it's why I've received the endorsement of so many leaders in Albany, including Deputy Speaker Ramos and Deputy Majority Leader Solages. Most importantly, I've received support from so many local leaders and individuals who are putting their trust in me to make Long Island more affordable, defend public education, and protect the right to choose.
I've been fighting for New Yorkers for years - now I'm looking to do it as a member of the Assembly. I'm proud of my experience fighting for reproductive rights, standing up for common sense gun safety laws, and defending public education.
I'm running to represent everyone, not just a wealthy few. In office, I look forward to being a champion of the middle class.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education! I am a product of the public education system - both K-12, and through Stony Brook University. Supporting public education is a priority of mine. I received the endorsement of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, a public school union representing educators, because of my dedication to uplifting public education.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book tends to change very rapidly, but one of my current favorites is "The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August". It's about a man who lives, dies, and then lives again - repeating his own life on an endless loop, remembering all his prior lives while almost no one else notices time resetting. Besides being a really excellent story, the book is really great at reflecting on human nature, the quest for power, and the heavy impact of each small decision we make.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

New York Working Families Party

Council of School Supervisors and Administrators
Comptroller Tom Dinapoli
Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant
Deputy Assembly Speaker Phil Ramos
Deputy Assembly Majority Leader Solages
Assemblyman Fred Thiele
Assemblyman Chuck Lavine
Assemblywoman Karines Reyes
County Legislator Ann Welker
County Legislator Sammy Gonzalez
LGBTQ Victory Fund

Run For Something

What committees interest you?

Labor, education, and environmental conservation are some of my top committee picks!

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency is key! I'm endorsed by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, the fiscal watchdog of New York.

New York is not good at government accountability. Recently, our courts further stripped a legislative ethics commission of its enforcement abilities - this is terrible for New York. I will do what I can to create nonpartisan ethics commission to serve as a true watchdog and hold all elected officials accountable.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Skyler Johnson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Skyler Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a student and local activist. I've been fortunate enough to work in politics for the last couple of years, fighting to get candidates elected. I fight for what I know is right- whether it be a woman's right to choose, universal healthcare, or fair housing programs. Now, I'm looking to bring that fight to Albany. My comprehensive policies on a wide range of issues will allow me to fight for people across New York State. I'm a young progressive, and at 19, I can bridge the gap between generations. We need representatives who fight for the people. I don't take corporate money. I'm funded by the people. At the end of the day, I have the knowledge of the issues, the energy, and the passion, to fight for what is best for the people of New York.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Our representatives are stuck in the past. It's time to vote for representatives who can bring us into a new future.
We need candidates who have real policy. I'm the only candidate with the plans to get things done in Albany.
I'm a young candidate. At 19, I can bring other young people into the conversation, and register voters of all ages.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have several-

Housing
Healthcare
Education
The Environment

I have comprehensive plans on each of these issues. For healthcare, I support the New York Health Act, which will establish single-payer healthcare in New York State. My housing plan will allow people to stay on the island regardless of financial situations. I will fight for clean water on the island, and tighten developer regulations. We will invest in public education to make sure that everyone starts with an equal chance.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

In politics, I look up to AOC, for her resilience, strength, and perseverance. My parents are role models for me- they have overcome much adversity and done their best in life.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official can't be afraid to put themselves on the line. If someone is afraid to stand up to leadership for what they believe in, they do not deserve to hold the office.

An official needs to be transparent. They need to always keep an open line of communication with the public.

An official needs to be policy-oriented. They need to base their governance and their campaigns on the facts, and what is best for their district.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

While the most major event of my early life was 9/11, I don't remember it. I do remember, the housing crash and the market crash between the ages of 6-8. Many of my earliest memories are of the market crash and the Great Recession.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was in theatre. I grew up acting, and the first "real" job I had was assisting acting classes. At the same time, I ran the office at my family's martial arts school. I balanced those two jobs and school for about two years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I have a tendency to change my favorite book based on what I'm reading. I really love Stephen King, and the book It. I'm also a huge Shakespeare fan.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I come from a unique background. I have black father and a white mother. I'm also Jewish. I've experienced discrimination on multiple fronts do to this. I've had people both in and out of the Jewish community doubt my religion because of skin color and last name. I've been followed around in stores and treated with suspicion for my skin color. I have a unique view on the world due to all of this, and I can't wait to bring it to Albany.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

I believe the state Senate's ability to confirm appointments by the Governor is an important power. However, the different in sizes of the chambers has pros and cons. The small size of the Senate allows for each individual to voice their opinion in a more weighted manner. However, the larger size of the Assembly allows for a diverse range of opinions from across the state. The Assembly also has less constituents individually, allowing them to be more in tune with the specific needs of their district.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

While having prior experience can help, we need to elect representatives from different backgrounds. My age allows me a unique perspective on key issues in the Senate.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

We need to mitigate the effects of climate change. New York is in trouble- and we need to reverse course quickly.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

While the Governor and the state legislature need to work together, they also need to balance each other out. It is important that the state legislature challenge the Governor and provide an important check to the Governor's power.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. It's important to have a relationship with colleagues in the state legislature. However, those relationships can not get in the way of a legislature's priorities, or sabotage the needs of individual districts.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Education

Health
Housing

Environmental Conservation

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

These committees deal with the key issues I want to work on. Housing, healthcare, education, and the environment.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I would like to spend some time in Albany before I considered a leadership role.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Senator Julia Salazar is a major role model for me in Albany. We share many of the same ideals and like her unwavering approach to the issues.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Potentially- if I feel that I can bring something to those positions and help the people of New York or the United States.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I've had many stories that have made an impact- however, there is one in particular I like to cite.

The water quality of my area is horrible. I spoke to a gentleman in my district who has lived here for decades. Recently, he has refused to use the water supply in his house. He has white towels that turn gray if they are washed in his home. He was scared of what taking a shower in his home was doing to him. This has always stuck with me, and demonstrated the change I could make in the community.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Skyler Johnson campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	New York State Assembly District 4	Withdrew general	$186,989	$0
2022	New York State Senate District 1	Lost general	$93,898	$0
2020	New York State Senate District 1	Lost primary	$29,520	N/A**
Grand total			$310,407	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

New York State Assembly District 4

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 20, 2024

[show]

Current members of the New York State Assembly

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Carl Heastie

Representatives

District 1

Thomas Schiavoni (D)

District 2

Jodi Giglio (R)

District 3

Joseph DeStefano (R)

District 4

Rebecca Kassay (D)

District 5

Doug Smith (R)

District 6

Philip Ramos (D)

District 7

Jarett Gandolfo (R)

District 8

Michael Fitzpatrick (R)

District 9

Michael Durso (R)

District 10

Steve Stern (D)

District 11

Kwani O'Pharrow (D)

District 12

Keith Brown (R)

District 13

Charles Lavine (D)

District 14

David McDonough (R)

District 15

Jake Blumencranz (R)

District 16

Daniel Norber (R)

District 17

John Mikulin (R)

District 18

Noah Burroughs (D)

District 19

Edward Ra (R)

District 20

Eric Brown (R)

District 21

Judy Griffin (D)

District 22

Michaelle Solages (D)

District 23

Stacey Amato (D)

District 24

David Weprin (D)

District 25

Nily Rozic (D)

District 26

Edward Braunstein (D)

District 27

Sam Berger (D)

District 28

Andrew Hevesi (D)

District 29

Alicia Hyndman (D)

District 30

Steven Raga (D)

District 31

Khaleel Anderson (D)

District 32

Vivian Cook (D)

District 33

Clyde Vanel (D)

District 34

Jessica González-Rojas (D)

District 35

Larinda Hooks (D)

District 36

Zohran Mamdani (D)

District 37

Claire Valdez (D)

District 38

Jenifer Rajkumar (D)

District 39

Catalina Cruz (D)

District 40

Ron Kim (D)

District 41

Kalman Yeger (D)

District 42

Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (D)

District 43

Brian Cunningham (D)

District 44

Robert Carroll (D)

District 45

Michael Novakhov (R)

District 46

Alec Brook-Krasny (R)

District 47

William Colton (D)

District 48

Simcha Eichenstein (D)

District 49

Lester Chang (R)

District 50

Emily Gallagher (D)

District 51

Marcela Mitaynes (D)

District 52

Jo Simon (D)

District 53

Maritza Davila (D)

District 54

Erik Dilan (D)

District 55

Latrice Walker (D)

District 56

Stefani Zinerman (D)

District 57

Phara Souffrant Forrest (D)

District 58

Monique Chandler-Waterman (D)

District 59

Jaime Williams (D)

District 60

Nikki Lucas (D)

District 61

Charles Fall (D)

District 62

Michael Reilly (R)

District 63

Samuel Pirozzolo (R)

District 64

Michael Tannousis (R)

District 65

Grace Lee (D)

District 66

Deborah Glick (D)

District 67

Linda Rosenthal (D)

District 68

Eddie Gibbs (D)

District 69

Micah Lasher (D)

District 70

Jordan Wright (D)

District 71

Alfred Taylor (D)

District 72

Manny De Los Santos (D)

District 73

Alex Bores (D)

District 74

Harvey Epstein (D)

District 75

Tony Simone (D)

District 76

Rebecca Seawright (D)

District 77

Landon Dais (D)

District 78

George Alvarez (D)

District 79

Chantel Jackson (D)

District 80

John Zaccaro (D)

District 81

Jeffrey Dinowitz (D)

District 82

Michael Benedetto (D)

District 83

Carl Heastie (D)

District 84

Amanda Septimo (D)

District 85

Emerita Torres (D)

District 86

Yudelka Tapia (D)

District 87

Karines Reyes (D)

District 88

Amy Paulin (D)

District 89

J. Pretlow (D)

District 90

Nader Sayegh (D)

District 91

Steven Otis (D)

District 92

Maryjane Shimsky (D)

District 93

Chris Burdick (D)

District 94

Matthew Slater (R)

District 95

Dana Levenberg (D)

District 96

Patrick Carroll (D)

District 97

Aron Wieder (D)

District 98

Karl Brabenec (R)

District 99

Christopher Eachus (D)

District 100

Paula Kay (D)

District 101

Brian Maher (R)

District 102

Christopher Tague (R)

District 103

Sarahana Shrestha (D)

District 104

Jonathan Jacobson (D)

District 105

Anil Beephan (R)

District 106

Didi Barrett (D)

District 107

Scott Bendett (R)

District 108

John McDonald (D)

District 109

Gabriella Romero (D)

District 110

Phil Steck (D)

District 111

Angelo Santabarbara (D)

District 112

Mary Walsh (R)

District 113

Carrie Woerner (D)

District 114

Matthew Simpson (R)

District 115

Vacant

District 116

Scott Gray (R)

District 117

Kenneth Blankenbush (R)

District 118

Robert Smullen (R)

District 119

Marianne Buttenschon (D)

District 120

William Barclay (R)

District 121

Joe Angelino (R)

District 122

Brian Miller (R)

District 123

Donna Lupardo (D)

District 124

Christopher Friend (R)

District 125

Anna Kelles (D)

District 126

John Lemondes (R)

District 127

Al Stirpe (D)

District 128

Pamela Hunter (D)

District 129

William Magnarelli (D)

District 130

Brian Manktelow (R)

District 131

Jeff Gallahan (R)

District 132

Philip Palmesano (R)

District 133

Andrea Bailey (R)

District 134

Josh Jensen (R)

District 135

Jennifer Lunsford (D)

District 136

Sarah Clark (D)

District 137

Demond Meeks (D)

District 138

Harry Bronson (D)

District 139

Stephen Hawley (R)

District 140

William Conrad (D)

District 141

Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D)

District 142

Patrick Burke (D)

District 143

Patrick Chludzinski (R)

District 144

Paul Bologna (R)

District 145

Angelo Morinello (R)

District 146

Karen McMahon (D)

District 147

David DiPietro (R)

District 148

Joe Sempolinski (R)

District 149

Jonathan Rivera (D)

District 150

Andrew Molitor (R)

Democratic Party (102)

Republican Party (47)

Vacancies (1)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 20, 2024

[1]

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Skyler Johnson

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for New York State Assembly District 4

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New York State Assembly District 4

Republican primary election

Conservative Party primary election

Working Families Party primary election

Campaign finance

Endorsements

2022

General election

General election for New York State Senate District 1

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

Conservative Party primary election

Working Families Party primary election

2020

General election

General election for New York State Senate District 1

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New York State Senate District 1

Republican primary election

Conservative Party primary election

Working Families Party primary election

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

2022

2020

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

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