Illapa Sairitupac is an American political candidate and social worker. He is the Democratic nominee for the 65th district of the New York State Assembly for the 2026 election.
Early life and education Sairitupac was born in Mount Kisco, New York, and grew up in Westchester and Dutchess counties. His parents immigrated from Peru, with his mom's family from Apurímac and his father's family from Colcabamba. He earned his Master of Social Work from the New York University Silver School of Social Work in 2021. Sairitupac works as a housing organizer in Downtown Manhattan.https://democraticleft.dsausa.org/2026/06/10/illapa-sairitupac-puts-socialism-back-on-the-ballot-for-the-lower-east-side/
Political career Sairitupac's first run for office was in the 2022 Democratic primary for District 65 of the New York State Assembly but was defeated by Grace Lee. After Lee vacated the seat to run for the state Senate in 2026, Sairitupac entered the Democratic primary again for the seat in 2026, which he won with 34.5% of the vote. His 2026 primary campaign received endorsements from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, US Senator Bernie Sanders, and New York City Democratic Socialists of America.
Personal life Sairitupac is openly gay and identifies as non-binary.
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