Ed Ra was first elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010. His district includes parts of the towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead in Nassau County.

In February of 2026, he was elected unanimously by his colleagues as the Leader of the Assembly Minority Conference.

He previously served as Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee for six years, vetting all bills with fiscal implications, and leading the Conference’s analysis and debates of bills that comprise the New York State budget.

During his career in the Assembly, Leader Ra has served as the Assistant Minority Leader Pro Tempore, a role in which he coordinated and led floor debate for the Conference. Ra also served as Ranking Member of the Assembly Education Committee, where he fought against the state’s overreliance on standardized testing and became a leading advocate for students with special needs.

As Minority Leader, Ra’s legislative priorities include building a more affordable New York, expanding access to child care, and increasing transparency and accountability in the state budget process. He has consistently pushed to rein in excessive spending and ensure state tax dollars are budgeted responsibly, with a focus on long-term fiscal stability. He also remains committed to rooting out public corruption and promoting public safety, and he has led efforts to roll back and reform dangerous changes to the state’s bail and discovery laws.

Leader Ra graduated from Loyola College in Maryland in 2004 with a B.A. in Computer Science. He received his J.D. from St. John's University School of Law in 2007 and his LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2008. Leader Ra is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Prior to his election, Ra served as a Deputy Town Attorney for the Town of Hempstead and as a legal aide in the Office of the New York State Attorney General.

Leader Ra is a member of the Franklin Square Kiwanis, a 3rd Degree Knight of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the 12 Apostles Council, and a member of the Cellini Lodge #2206 Order Sons of Italy in America.

Leader Ra is a resident of Garden City South, where he lives with his wife, Laura, and their shelter dog, Carter.