“Ed has my full confidence, and I want to congratulate him on his selection as Minority Leader,” said Smullen. “Ed has long been a dedicated champion for fiscal discipline as the ranking Minority member on the Ways and Means Committee, standing firm against excessive spending and policies that drive up costs for families across New York.”

Assemblyman Ed Ra will be replacing outgoing Minority Leader Will Barclay, who announced last week he would not seek re-election. Ra has served in the state Assembly since 2011.