Lester Chang

Lester Chang (Chinese: 鄭永佳) is an American businessman, naval reservist, and politician who represents the 49th district of the New York State Assembly, which comprises part of South Brooklyn. A Republican, he defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Peter J. Abbate Jr. in 2022.

Early life and education
Lester Chang was born in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan to parents from China. When he was 8 years old, his father died of cancer and the family moved to Hong Kong before moving to Midwood, Brooklyn. Chang graduated from Midwood High School, then Brooklyn College with a Bachelor of Science in accounting and the State University of New York Maritime College with a Master of Science in international transportation.

Career
Chang previously worked in banking as well as international shipping logistics.

Naval Reserve
Chang is a retired member of the United States Navy Reserve and current member of the New York Naval Militia. In the aftermath of 9/11, he was assigned to Washington, D.C. and was deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan as a military analyst.

Political career
Chang first ran for office in the 2016 special election for the 65th Assembly district to succeed Sheldon Silver following his resignation due to a corruption scandal. He was on the ballot for the Republican, Reform, Independence, and 'Clean Up This Mess' party lines. He placed third behind Democrat Alice Cancel and Working Families Party-endorsed Yuh-Line Niou respectively.

In 2020, he ran in the 26th State Senate district, losing to incumbent Democrat Brian Kavanagh.

In 2022, Chang announced he would run against longtime Democratic incumbent Peter J. Abbate Jr. in the 49th Assembly district. The redrawn district is majority Asian-American and includes parts of the Southern Brooklyn communities of Dyker Heights, Sunset Park, Borough Park and Bensonhurst. In an upset attributed to Republican organizing in the traditionally Democratic-leaning Chinese community, Chang defeated Abatte.

Residency challenges
Following his election to the State Assembly, the Brooklyn Democratic Party attempted to block Chang from being seated. Proponents claimed that Chang had been living in Manhattan and was therefore ineligible to have been elected under New York's one-year residency requirement for candidates. Chang claimed to have lived in Manhattan until 2019, when his late wife passed away, before moving back to Brooklyn; but records show he had voted in Manhattan in 2021 and previously ran for office there in 2016 and 2020. Critics of the move pointed out that his ballot petitions could have been challenged in court before the election, but Democrats waited until after he had already won.

An investigation organized by Speaker Carl Heastie concluded that Chang did own an apartment in Manhattan, but he fulfilled the residency requirements to run in the district.

The Daily News editorial board published an article in support of Chang taking his Assembly seat, noting hypocrisy from Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and Heastie.

Personal life
Chang lives in his childhood home in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. He has spoken about receiving mental health treatment for PTSD, the death of his wife from cancer in 2019, and aiding his 95-year-old mother who suffers from Alzheimer's disease.