# Brisport Exits Assembly Race Over Campaign Finances
State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdyar, who represents Brooklyn under the Working Families Party banner, withdrew from his re-election campaign over campaign finance violations. The New York State Board of Elections found that Mamdyar's 2022 campaign improperly received and spent funds, triggering his departure from the race just weeks before Election Day.
Mamdyar's exit marks a significant setback for the Working Families Party, which has positioned itself as a left-flank challenger to mainstream Democrats in New York. The progressive lawmaker had emerged as a vocal advocate for tenant rights and labor organizing during his tenure in Albany. His 2022 campaign raised eyebrows for its fundraising practices, which state regulators determined violated campaign finance rules.
The withdrawal removes one of the Working Families Party's highest-profile elected officials from the ballot. The party has faced mounting pressure to maintain its foothold in the state legislature amid internal disputes over strategy and resource allocation. Mamdyar's departure opens his Brooklyn seat to a competitive special election and raises questions about the party's vetting processes for campaign finance compliance.
New York's campaign finance laws restrict contributions and require detailed reporting of all expenditures. Violations can result in fines, penalties, and forced withdrawals. State regulators did not specify the dollar amounts involved, but the board's finding proved serious enough to prompt Mamdyar's decision to step aside.
The timing creates complications for Working Families Party strategists, who must now identify a replacement candidate and rebuild momentum in the district. Democrats in the area are likely to view the vacancy as an opportunity to reclaim the seat from the left-wing challenger who had upset party-endorsed candidates in previous cycles.