Patch posed six questions to candidate Raj Goyle after he officially announced his primary run on Monday. Here are his replies.
NEW YORK — Civil rights lawyer and former Kansas State representative Raj Goyle has announced a primary run for New York state comptroller against incumbent Tom DiNapoli in 2026.
Before entering politics, Goyle spent time a lawyer with the ACLU, before becoming one of the first employees at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C.
Goyle then moved with his wife Monica to be closer to his parents in Wichita, KS, where he worked as a lecturer at Wichita State University.
In 2006, he became the first Indian American elected to the Kansas State Legislature. During his term, Goyle secured $69 million in federal stimulus dollars for the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to expand who qualifies for support during times of financial hardship.
After losing a race for Congress to Mike Pompeo in 2010, Goyle moved to New York full time with his family, where he ran a foundation helping dozens of non-profits.
Most recently, Goyle served as Chair of the 5BORO Institute, a leading NYC think tank dedicated to solving public policy issues facing our city, and founded Phone Free New York, a policy group that successfully advocated for restrictions on smartphones and other devices in K-12 schools throughout the state.
The 50-year-old currently lives in Tribeca.
Patch recently asked Goyle six questions about his campaign. See his replies below.
PATCH: Why are you running for comptroller?
GOYLE: I grew up reading about FDR, JFK, LBJ and a Democratic Party that believed in using its power to improve the lives of everyday people. The New York State Comptroller is one of the most powerful state executive jobs in America. In this dangerous moment for American democracy, we don’t need a do-nothing caretaker who rests on his laurels. I’m running to actually use the power of the office to make lives better for all New Yorkers.
My Comptroller’s office will eliminate waste, increase pension returns, build affordable housing, help get universal child care and relief from medical debt. And fight Donald Trump’s agenda every step of the way. I’m running because I know this office has the power to put up a fight while still investing in New York to deliver for New Yorkers.
PATCH: What sets you apart from the other candidates?
GOYLE: I have unique experience managing money and running a business as a CEO and as an elected official, I know how to fight—and win—tough battles my opponents don’t know are coming. I took on Republicans in Kansas, winning one of the toughest races in the country by knocking on doors and meeting every voter I could.
I know what it means to scrap for every vote and deliver for people overlooked by everyone else. I also know the financial markets work and where we need to reform Wall Street to grow our economy. I’m not running to be a cautious bookkeeper; I’m running so I can use the Comptroller’s power to improve the lives of every New Yorker, just like FDR and LBJ did when they built the safety nets we all rely on today. I see myself as part of that tradition, and that is what every Democrat should be fighting for.
PATCH: What are the key issues that you’d tackle in office? How would you tackle them?
GOYLE:
Investing in New York Housing:
I’ll redirect pension investments from the out-of-state developments being prioritized by the current Comptroller to building affordable housing here in New York. The Comptroller needs to treat affordable housing as a core asset class that benefits New Yorkers.
Delivering Childcare and Debt Relief for New Yorkers:
We need to issue a groundbreaking audit on the current economic hit to New York without universal child care. My office will partner with DASNY and HCR to structure low-cost, tax-exempt bonds for building and expanding childcare centers, and expand the pension’s ETIs to supply patient capital and credit enhancements.
Cracking Down on Exploitative Business Practices and Scams:
New York will act in concert with pension funds in states like Illinois and California to change industry behavior. I’ll establish shared standards that prohibit investments in companies that prey on consumers with junk fees, subscription traps, and schemes that exploit seniors.
Reducing Wall Street Waste:
We’ll stop wasting billions on excessive asset manager fees for cookie-cutter approaches and instead use best-in-class software to identify proactive investments and maximize returns. It’s time to use the office’s auditing and subpoena power to see exactly how the pension fund’s private equity sponsors are spending and allocating money.
Rooting Out Corruption and Abuse:
I’ll put the office’s 250 auditors and subpoena power to work to expose corruption in local government, investigate utility companies that gouge consumers, and root out other abuse taking place under the over $250 billion in state spending overseen by the office.
PATCH: How would you respond/act to the Trump administration’s threats to cut federal funding from New York State?
GOYLE: New Yorkers are demanding that Democratic leadership fight for them, but our current leaders are too often missing in action. I will use the Comptroller’s power to shield the state and its people from the destructive power of the Trump administration’s policies. This isn’t theoretical or even radical, this is how countless states across the country are fighting Trump, turning their financial power into a tool to insulate the state and minimize the influence of the federal government.
The Comptroller’s office will turn into a bulwark against Trump—protecting New Yorkers’ money, values, and future.
However, being on defense isn’t enough. Around the United States, Red states have organized their pension funds to push right-wing priorities through the State Financial Officers Foundation. It’s time that Blue states do the same, and there is simply no reason why New York isn’t leading the charge. I will organize blue-state pension funds to leverage their combined capital to force change from corporations that engage in abusive and exploitative practices, creating a force to drive industry-wide changes.
As the state’s watchdog, I will also withhold approval and reject agreements that contravene state law, including those that would facilitate ICE raids.
PATCH: How would you handle working with/standing up to state officials?
GOYLE: Knowing when to collaborate or compromise, and when to stand firm, is exactly what has enabled me to succeed over the years. My time as a lawmaker in Kansas was in a Republican controlled legislature. That required me to find the places where we could compromise and identify where to draw the line in the sand and stand my ground. The same can be said in my advocacy work, in the private sector, and in my legal practice. So when the Governor, or another state official, knocks on my door, I’ll be ready no matter which direction the conversation goes.
What’s one place in the state you frequent the most or like to visit?