Ed Ra was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010. He represents 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 Republican Conference – the first Long Island representative to hold the position in more than 50 years.

As the Republican Leader, he is committed to reducing the cost of living for New Yorkers. He has consistently pushed to rein in excessive spending, led the charge to deliver families meaningful relief to household budgets, and fought for lower taxes while rooting out government waste. Leader Ra has been a champion for law enforcement and strong public safety, spearheading efforts to roll back dangerous changes to the state’s bail and discovery laws.

As a lifelong resident of Long Island, Leader Ra carries deep roots in the community. Prior to his election, he served as Deputy Town Attorney for the Town of Hempstead and as a legal aide in the Office of the New York State Attorney General. He is a member of the Franklin Square Kiwanis, a 3rd Degree Knight of the Knights of Columbus, 12 Apostles Council, and a member of the Cellini Lodge #2206, Order Sons of Italy in America.

Leader Ra graduated from Loyola College in Maryland, received his J.D. from St. John's University School of Law, and his LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

He resides in Garden City South, where he lives with his wife, Laura, and their shelter dog, Carter.