I’m exploring a run for Congress-here is why!

NY's 12th Congressional District in Manhattan

A pin from the Smithsonian’s exhibit: American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith

“Am I doing enough?!”

That is the question that has repeatedly filled my brain since Donald Trump returned to power. “Am I doing enough?!” in fighting to save our nation from the Trump regime’s fascism--that now includes terrorizing and even killing Americans? “Am I doing enough?!” in fighting for a nation that is not controlled by oligarchs and big money--but by us? “Am I doing enough?!” in fighting for a nation where the government’s top priority is the working class, not the donor class?

That question of “Am I doing enough?!” is the very reason why I’m now considering running for the Democratic nomination in New York’s 12^th Congressional district.

Let me start with this brutal truth: We are at war. This is a war Trump has declared on all who dare to defy him. Trump doesn’t want to govern, he wants to rule us like a king. And each day we are reminded of this.

The most glaring example being Trump sending thousands of federal agents—which he has called “troops”—to Minneapolis to terrorize all who defy his regime. This is not about immigration enforcement, “it is a campaign of organized brutality…by our own federal government”—as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz boldly declared in mid-January.

Trump’s war against us includes withholding funding to Blue states because we dared to reject the corrupt, convicted felon in the 2024 election. The treasonous Trump has also weaponized the government in an effort to punish all who defy him from NY Attorney General Tish James to journalists like Don Lemon to even comedians—as we saw with Jimmy Kimmel.

And now, Trump is openly working to rig the 2026 midterms with the threat of “nationalizing” the election—which may include using ICE agents to intimidate voters. This is all part of Trump’s war on our freedoms in pursuit of his dream to become the Putin of North America.

To be clear, though, defeating Trump is absolutely not the only reason I’m considering running in New York’s 12^th congressional district--which spans from about 14^th street to 96^th street in Manhattan. Just as important is fighting for a government that makes its top priority delivering policies that will change people’s lives for the better. And I mean, real change that people can readily see in their lives and their family.

To me, it comes to this: We’ve been told since we are children that the “United States is the greatest nation in the world.” Well, it’s long past time for our nation to live up to that hype and treat Americans like this truly is the greatest country. In reality, we are far behind other first world nations in terms of how our government cares for their people.

For starters, we are the only industrialized nation not to have healthcare for all. Yep, the only one! That is outrageous. If we begin to lower the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 downwards, in a matter of years, everyone can have guaranteed healthcare. That is how you change people’s lives for the better.

Childcare costs are the second largest expense for a family after housing. While countless countries provide pre-K starting at three years of age, we don’t despite living in the “greatest country in the world.” Again, this program would be transformative for millions by both investing in the children of our nation and reducing a very heavy financial cost for families.

Of course, when Democrats champion proposals that will make a tangible difference in people’s lives, we hear the GOP say, “How can we afford that?” The answer is simple: The same way the GOP were able to afford $3 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and $1 trillion plus dollars for a military budget!

All of this is possible and more if we can get big money out of our politics. This legalized bribery designed to dilute our voices while amplifying the super-rich is why we have a growing oligarchy where the few, control the many. The idea that it’s legal for someone like Elon Musk to spend nearly $300 million to elect Trump in 2024--and then be rewarded with billions in government contracts—should make your blood boil!

The list goes on of policies I believe we need to champion as Democrats that will have a substantial—if not transformative--impact on the lives of people. And despite the 12^th congressional district being one of the wealthiest in the nation, if I run, my top priority would be fighting for the working class—people like my late immigrant father who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet for our family. The wealthy have plenty of people looking out for them, the working class do not.

At this point, there are already ten announced candidates who are seeking the Democratic nomination in the 12^th congressional district. They range from moderates to very progressive to everywhere in between.

I do differ though in two ways from the others in the race. First, I’m the only lawyer, turned comedian, turned radio host, who worked at Saturday Night Live for eight seasons and who is half Palestinian, half Italian and Muslim. I have that lane to myself :)

Secondly, and on a far more substantive note, I differ from some of the other candidates in that I’m not a “PEP”—which stands for “Progressive except Palestine.” Those are people who are liberal on issue after issue—except when it comes to Palestinian humanity which they ignore because they have calculated it helps them politically to do just that.

In contrast, I’m Progressive including Palestine—a “PIP” if you will. My values have no exceptions—even when it may come at a political cost.

I share all of this to give you a sense of why I’m contemplating running for office now. The first day for candidates to gather signatures to secure a place on the ballot for the June congressional primary is February 24. That is my self-imposed deadline to make a decision.

In the interim, I will continue hosting my nightly SiriusXM radio political talk show—which I greatly enjoy doing-- as well as writing articles. But I will also do something more--and that is spend the next few weeks listening to as many people as I can in NY’s 12^th Congressional district.

My hope is that over the next few weeks, I will have finally figured out the answer to the question that keeps me up at night: “Am I doing enough?!”

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