Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Julie Won for US Congress NY-07
Candidate Name: Julie Won
Office Seeking Election for: US Congress NY-07
Campaign Website: https://www.juliewon.com/
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments, why do you believe you are best qualified to represent your district?
As a young mother and an immigrant myself, I am well positioned to push back against the administration’s dystopian mass deportation agenda and fight for an affordable City. I am running to abolish ICE, to make housing more affordable, and to deliver a Lifetime of Care. That means a safety net to catch you and your family from birth through retirement: universal healthcare, childcare, family leave, education, social security, and burial rites – while protecting the caregivers and workers that make this care possible...As an immigrant, a mother, and a daughter of aging parents, my life directly informs my political agenda - and my record of accomplishments over the last 4 years as a member of the City Council proves that I’m the best person for the job in Washington. I built or authorized 32,000 units of housing, including 12,000 permanently affordable homes, and secured over $2 billion in public investment for my district. I was part of the first majority-woman City Council, which passed historic legislation protecting reproductive rights and trans communities. I welcomed over 15,000 new immigrants, secured broadband for all NYCHA residents in my district, and passed legislation giving labor unions real power in city contracting.
I’m running to abolish ICE, to make housing more affordable, and to deliver a Lifetime of Care. I will continue to give power to working-class New Yorkers and deliver a city and country that we can actually afford to live in.
2. What LGBTQ+ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I have been proud to receive the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club's endorsement since my very first race, and that relationship has been a through-line of my time in elected office.
As a Council Member, I funded LGBTQ organizations through discretionary spending, supported community events including St. Pat's for All, Sunnypride, and Queens Pride, and allocated $18,000 specifically for drag story hours at local libraries. I hired LGBTQ staffers in both my government office and my campaign. I supported legislation championed by my colleagues in the LGBTQIA+ Caucus and voted for the full 2025 legislative package to protect civil rights and healthcare access for transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and intersex New Yorkers, including the expansion of private right of action for interference with gender-affirming care.
3. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBTQ+ issues, pro-choice legislation, racial justice, criminal justice have you attended, including rallies specifically against Donald Trump and his policies?
Organizing and showing up for events that further these important issues is a huge part of my work every day. I always participate in St. Pat’s for All, Sunnypride, and Queens Pride. I fund and attend drag story hours and have held protests when the event has come under attack. After Roe was overturned, I organized local events and attended citywide events. I have held numerous local rallies to protest police violence and against hate crimes. I have held two press conferences this year alone to fix shelter rules for asylum seekers and improve language access. I have attended 6-7 rallies this year against Trump administration policies, including the No Kings protests.
4. In light of the Trump Administration’s war on women, the LGBTQ+ community, minorities and immigrants, what are your plans to organize and combat the Trump agenda?
The Trump administration is pursuing an anti-American, unconstitutional assault on liberal democracy, ethnic pluralism, and the dignity of working families – and Congress has passively stood by. It is critical for progressive leaders to push back by offering an alternative, coherent, positive vision for our Country.
I am running on a vision of radical care: universal healthcare, childcare, family leave, education, social security, and burial rites. Unfortunately, the bodily autonomy of women, people who identify as LGBTQ+, and immigrants are on the front lines of the administration’s assault. Defending reproductive health and gender-affirming care, ensuring data collection that recognizes the existence of our communities, and delivering care regardless of immigration status, will be my top priority.
5. Will you seek or accept endorsements from individuals who oppose LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights?
No.
6. Do you support the unrestricted right to reproductive care and abortion?
Yes. A Lifetime of Care starts with women’s healthcare and human rights. I will be an unwavering protector of abortion access, birth control, and reproductive rights in Congress and will seek repeal of the Hyde Amendment. I was part of the first majority-woman City Council, which passed a historic abortion protection legislative package after Roe was overturned. The package requires new reporting, prohibits information-sharing with out-of-state entities, creates a new education program, creates a new private right of action, fights “crisis pregnancy centers,” requires the health department to provide approved medication for abortions at no cost, and called on the State to pass a complementary slate of pro-choice legislation. Reproductive rights also means access to universal, affordable healthcare, so that Americans are not required to go into extreme debt to make the choices that are right for them and their families.
7. Have you hosted, funded or otherwise supported Drag Story Hours in your community?
Yes, I have allocated $18,000 to drag story hour at local libraries and under the 7-train. I attend with my children whenever possible.
8. Do you support right-wing attempts to ban the teaching of “critical race theory”?
Absolutely not. Attacks on “critical race theory” are an attempt to forget our history and avoid addressing ongoing racism and racial disparities.
9. How will you work to enhance protections for immigrants and uphold New York’s role as a Sanctuary City?
More than half of NY-7 residents are foreign-born — like me. My family came here believing America would give us a fair shot. Over the past three years, 15,000 asylum seekers arrived in my district — more than anywhere else in the city. As a Council Member, I never opposed a shelter in my district. I hosted welcome dinners and resource fairs for new arrivals. I passed a legislative package and secured millions for local language cooperatives – as well as further legislation to protect immigrants from notario fraud. In Congress, I will combat attempts to tie federal funding to cooperation with anti-immigrant policies, create pathways to citizenship, protect immigrant workers from exploitation, end family separation – and abolish ICE.
10. Do you support New York becoming a Transgender Sanctuary State?
Yes. Trans people in New York should never have to worry that seeking care here puts them at legal risk from states that have criminalized who they are. In 2025, I voted for a Council legislative package that included expanding a private right of action so that people who travel to New York for gender-affirming care can counter lawsuits from states with anti-trans policies. I voted to mandate city outreach on trans legal rights and resources, and to require an "X" gender marker option on city forms. In Congress, I will support federal legislation to establish New York as a place where gender-affirming care is protected, not punished.
11. If elected, will you commit to supporting legislation that raises taxes on the richest New Yorkers and large corporations in order to fund the services and investments our communities need?
Yes. I will rebuild our social safety net through Lifetime of Care programs. I would fund these policies by closing tax loopholes and raising rates on the wealthiest Americans – as well as redirecting funding from Trump’s failing police state and illegal wars.
12. How will you represent the most vulnerable, including individuals experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers? Have you ever opposed any shelter in your district?
I have never opposed a shelter in my district, which has one of the highest shelter populations in the City. My office organized welcome dinners and resources fairs for newly arrived asylum seekers. I have also held numerous oversight hearings to improve shelter conditions, especially to get healthy, fresh, and culturally appropriate food.
13. Do you oppose the death penalty?
Yes.
14. Do you support outlawing solitary confinement?
Yes. I was a co-sponsor of Intro 549-2022 to ban solitary confinement in city jails and establish standards for the use of restrictive housing and emergency lock-ins. In Congress, I will support H.R.4682 End Solitary Confinement Act.
15. Do you commit to visit constituents who are incarcerated? Will you work to secure the release of individuals who have demonstrated sincere remorse, worked toward rehabilitation and are not deemed a threat to society?
Yes. In partnership with local community organizations, we’ve facilitated visits to people incarcerated on Rikers Island. I will work with families, advocates, and legal services providers to help release people that are not a threat and have been rehabilitated.
16. Do you commit to make applications for clemencies available to your constituency including a link to an application in a constituent newsletter? Will you submit it to our club?
Yes.
17. Did you rank Andrew Cuomo on your Democratic primary ballot in 2025? Who did you support for mayor in the 2025 Democratic primary and general election?
No. I was one of the first Council Members to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor.
18. In view of the fact that Ed Koch has been documented to have caused the deaths of scores of people with AIDS, excused city council members who voted against the gay rights bill and was blatantly racist, would you support renaming the former Queensboro Bridge?
Yes.
19. Do you support naming the soon to be reconstructed 42nd street bus terminal the Bella Abzug Port Authority?
Yes.
20. If an incumbent, how did you vote on House Res. 719 “Honoring the Life and Legacy of Charles Kirk”? If not an incumbent, how would you have voted?
Nay.
21. Do you support the immediate impeachment of Trump and other administration officials? If yes, which?
Yes, there is substantial reason to believe that Trump, cabinet members, and other high-ranking officials have violated the law. I will support rigorous investigations and impeachment where appropriate.
22. When Democrats regain power, do you favor Justice Department prosecutions to hold Trump’s administration officials accountable for criminal offenses?
Yes. President Trump and his allies should not be above the law, although they are acting like they are. An independent Justice Department should pursue thorough criminal investigations and hold Trump officials accountable.
23. Would you vote to defund ICE?
Yes. I will be fighting for both short-term harm reduction measures, like ending family separation and getting immigrants the food and medicare they need, and long-term immigration reform, including the dissolution of ICE and other violent enforcement agencies.
24. If an incumbent, how did you vote on House Resolution to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib? If not an incumbent, how would you have voted?
Nay.
25. If an incumbent, how have you voted on allowing NSA to conduct warrantless searches? If not an incumbent, how would you vote?
Nay.
26. If an incumbent, how did you vote on House Res 58 “Denouncing the Horrors of Socialism”? If not an incumbent, how would you have voted?
Nay.
27. If an incumbent, how did you house on a resolution directing the removal of all troops in foreign nations not authorized by Congress?
I would support such a resolution..
28. Do you support allowing DC to fund its own government, including the criminal justice system, without oversight by Congress?
Yes. Trump has used federal authority over DC to use it as a testing ground for violent and destructive right-wing policies. We must enfranchise the people of DC and act to give them independence over their City.
29. What is your legislative remedy to secure the building of low and moderate-income housing around the state?
As a member of Congress, making housing more affordable will continue to be my top priority. In The City Council, I have connected hundreds of tenants with direct legal services and fought against rent increases. I secured $220 million for public housing residents for repairs, elevators, and community spaces. In my district, we have built and approved 32,000 apartment units, with over 12,000 designated as permanently affordable and secured $2 billion for parks, schools, community centers, transportation, and resiliency.
In Congress, I will push for a massive infusion of federal investment in low- and middle-income housing, tackle the backlog of repairs in NYCHA and Mitchell-Lama developments, expand federal tenant protections including good cause eviction and rent stabilization standards, and create pathways to subsidized homeownership and cooperative housing so working families can stop renting their futures.
30. Will you refuse donations from AIPAC, SolidarityPAC, police and corrections associations, the fossil fuel industry, and the charter school industry?
Yes.
31. Do you support removing criminal penalties for consensual commercial sex work between adults?
Yes, I support decriminalization of sex workers, while investing in support programs for workers and enforcement to fight human trafficking and the exploitation of adults and minors.
32. What additional information would you like the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision?
Since my first campaign for City Council in 2021, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club has been one of my earliest and most consistent supporters. I am not a candidate who checks LGBTQ+ boxes at election time - I have funded drag story hours, organized counter-protests when those events were threatened, voted for every piece of LGBTQ+ protective legislation that came before the City Council, and built a staff that reflects the community I represent.
I am running without major institutional backing, which means I am not beholden to anyone. In Congress, I will continue to fight for trans rights, reproductive freedom, immigrant protection, and every other front where this administration is trying to take ground.
33. If you receive our endorsement, do you agree to identify the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club on all appropriate literature and electronic materials?
Yes. I have been honored to receive Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club’s endorsement in previous races and would be thrilled to again.