Phil Wong, the former budget and constituent services director for Council Member Robert Holden, won the District 30 City Council seat in Queens on Tuesday, defeating Republican Alicia Vaichunas by approximately 10 points, according to unofficial results from the city’s Board of Elections. The district covers a portion of central Queens, including Ridgewood.
Wong, who previously worked alongside Vaichunas in Holden’s office, emphasized his grassroots outreach during the campaign. “I was at three train stations. I was at express bus stops. Those are places where I could hear out what they want,” he said. Wong credited his team and nearly 600 individual donors for the victory, highlighting the extensive door-to-door efforts that reached almost every resident in the district.
“We are very proud of Phil Wong and excited that he will not only represent District 30 constituents but also Asian New Yorkers citywide. Phil has been a tireless advocate for his community in upholding quality of life and staunchly backing the blue when ‘defunding the police’ was all the rage. As a public school parent, Phil fought to expand Gifted and Talented programs and keep the test for Specialized High Schools. Phil Wong embodies AWA values and we couldn’t be happier about his win,” said Yiatin Chu, president of the Asian Wave Alliance.
Vaichunas, who served as Holden’s deputy chief of staff for eight years, delivered an emotional concession speech. She expressed a sense of betrayal by her former boss, noting, “I had somebody’s back for eight years who put knives in my back,” identifying Holden directly. Vaichunas announced she would step away from public service and declined to work with Wong moving forward.
The race was marked by tension and unexpected developments. Initially, both candidates had pledged to maintain a friendly campaign and even discussed the possibility of retaining one another on staff. However, Vaichunas ran at least one negative advertisement in the final weeks, and disputes over campaign support and endorsements intensified in the lead-up to the election.
Holden, who had endorsed Wong in the Democratic primary, remarked on the campaign’s outcome, explaining, “I know she’s hurting now, and I know it’s devastating for her. So I’m not going to blame her.”
With the results finalized, Wong is set to take office in January, assuming responsibility for representing District 30 and continuing Holden’s initiatives.
