Republican · New York's 11th District · 2026
Nicole Malliotakis
Malliotakis grew up on Staten Island with a Greek immigrant father and a mother who left Cuba after Castro came to power.
Biography
Nicole Malliotakis is the daughter of a Greek immigrant father and a mother who left Cuba under Fidel Castro's government.1 Away from Congress, her interests include animal welfare and time with her Chihuahua, Luna.1 She has made strengthening animal cruelty laws part of her public work.1
She earned a bachelor's degree from Seton Hall and an MBA from Wagner College before serving in the State Assembly and entering Congress in January 2021.2 Her career before elected office was in public relations.2 She spent five terms in the Assembly, where her work included constituent recovery after Hurricane Sandy and advocacy on transit, education and services for older residents.1
In the House, Malliotakis serves on the Ways and Means Committee, which handles taxes and major benefit programs.1 Her legislative record includes helping make permanent a program allowing qualifying employer assistance for workers' student loans to be tax free, within an annual benefit limit.1 She also voted for the bipartisan infrastructure law and has worked on local transportation and shoreline projects.1
She is the 11th District's Republican candidate.3 Her campaign priorities include border enforcement, domestic energy production, lower taxes and public safety.1 She opposes New York's congestion pricing program and supports reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains.1
Record and controversies
2023 bank stock purchase
Malliotakis bought New York Community Bancorp shares on March 17, 2023, after a briefing on the regional banking crisis and before the company's Signature Bank acquisition became public.4 Her spokesperson said the bank was not discussed in the briefing, that she learned of the acquisition when it became public, and that a financial adviser managed the portfolio.4
Her office later said OCE found no wrongdoing.5
A copy of the agency's own conclusion was not verified for this note.