Nicole Malliotakis

Nicole Malliotakis ( ; born November 11, 1980) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 11th congressional district. Her district covers Staten Island and a portion of southern Brooklyn.

A Republican, Malliotakis was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2010. She represented New York's 60th Assembly district from 2011 to 2012 and then represented New York's 64th Assembly district from 2013 to 2021. While serving in the Assembly, Malliotakis was the Republican nominee for mayor of New York City in the 2017 election; she was defeated by incumbent Democratic mayor Bill de Blasio. In 2020, she ran for Congress and won, defeating incumbent Democratic U.S. representative Max Rose. Malliotakis has represented New York's 11th congressional district since 2021. As of 2025, she is the only Republican representing New York City in Congress.

Early life and education Malliotakis was born on November 11, 1980, in Manhattan, New York City. She moved to Staten Island when she was two years old and grew up in Great Kills. Malliotakis' father is from Greece and her mother is from Cuba, having left Cuba in 1959 following the rise of Fidel Castro. and was raised in the Greek Orthodox faith.

Malliotakis graduated from New Dorp High School on Staten Island in 1998. During her senior year, she was elected class president. She received a B.A. in communications from Seton Hall University in 2001 and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Wagner College in 2010.

New York State Assembly

In 2010, Malliotakis won the election to represent the 60th District in the New York State Assembly, defeating two-term Democratic incumbent Janele Hyer-Spencer by 10 percentage points. Upon her election to the Assembly, she became the first Greek-American woman elected to office in New York State, the first Cuban-American woman elected to office in New York State, and the first person of Hispanic descent elected from Staten Island.

In October 2011, Malliotakis submitted an amicus curiae brief in support of an American Automobile Association lawsuit against the Port Authority in federal court, arguing that recent toll increases were illegal. She successfully brought an Article 78 proceeding in New York State Supreme Court to get the Port Authority to disclose the results of an economic impact study on the effect the toll increases had had on business at New York Container Terminal.

Malliotakis was reelected in 2012 with 61% of the vote and in 2014 with 73% of the vote in both Brooklyn and Staten Island. After U.S. representative Michael Grimm's resignation in 2014, she was mentioned as a top contender for his seat, but decided against a run.

She made elder rights a hallmark of her tenure and successfully fought to keep a senior center in Staten Island from being closed.

Malliotakis held a series of forums on the MTA Payroll Mobility Tax and its alleged negative impact on small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and private schools. The New York state legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo subsequently enacted significant repeals. Malliotakis fought for relief from the September 2011 toll increase on Port Authority bridges, calling for divestment of costly non-essential real estate holdings and highlighting mismanaged contributions to community organizations.

2017 New York City mayoral campaign

On April 25, 2017, Malliotakis filed as a Republican candidate for mayor of New York City in the 2017 election. She won the Republican nomination unopposed after businessman Paul Massey dropped out in June over money concerns. On November 7, 2017, Malliotakis lost the election to incumbent Democratic mayor Bill de Blasio, 66% to 28%.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2020

In 2020, Malliotakis ran as the Republican nominee for New York's 11th congressional district against incumbent Democrat Max Rose.

The race was considered the only potentially competitive House race in New York City. The 11th is by far the most conservative district of the 12 that divide New York City, and one of the most conservative urban districts in the country. The GOP had held the seat for all but one term since 1980 before Rose won the seat in an upset in the 2018 midterm elections.

Malliotakis endorsed incumbent Republican president Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election; in turn, Trump announced, "Nicole has my Complete & Total Endorsement!" She embraced Trump's backing, saying, "I am honored by President Trump's endorsement and his words of support... I plan to defeat Max Rose and return New York's 11th Congressional District to commonsense leadership."

Malliotakis declared victory upon taking a commanding lead in election day returns on November 3. Rose did not immediately concede, citing absentee votes yet to be counted. As it became apparent that Malliotakis's lead was too large to overcome, Rose conceded on November 12. Malliotakis took 53% of the vote to Rose's 47%. She declared victory on election night, and Rose conceded defeat shortly afterward; Malliotakis took 62% of the vote to Rose's 38%.

2024

In 2024, Nicole Malliotakis was re-elected for a third term in the United States House of Representatives, defeating Democratic challenger Andrea Morse. Nicole Malliotakis garnered 64% of the vote, compared to Morse's 36%, securing a decisive victory in New York's 11th congressional district.

Tenure New York's 11th congressional district covers Staten Island and a portion of southern Brooklyn.

In January 2021, Malliotakis was appointed as the Assistant Minority Whip for the Republican Conference, the House Committees On Foreign Affairs and Transportation & Infrastructure, as well as the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus.

On February 4, 2021, Malliotakis joined 10 other Republican House members and all Democrats in voting to strip Marjorie Taylor Greene of her House Education and Labor Committee and House Budget Committee assignments in response to controversial political statements she had made. Malliotakis called Greene’s comments "extraordinarily offensive and hurtful to thousands of 9/11 families and first responders, our Jewish community and many others in my district."

On November 5, 2021, Malliotakis joined 12 other Republicans in voting for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed the House 228–206.

In January 2023, Malliotakis was selected to serve on the House Committee on Ways and Means in the 118th Congress; she is the only House member from New York City to serve on the committee this term and the first Republican from the city to serve on the committee in 30 years.

On July 3, 2025, Malliotakis voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump the following day.

As of 2025, Malliotakis is the only Republican representing New York City in Congress.

On February 3, 2026 she announced that SSG Michael H. Ollis of Staten Island would posthumously have his Distinguished Service Cross elevated to the Medal of Honor after it had been approved by President Donald Trump.

In April 2026, Malliotakis was one of six Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to grant Temporary Protected Status to approximately 350,000 Haitian immigrants, despite efforts by Donald Trump to terminate the program.

Committee assignments For the 119th Congress: Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight Subcommittee on Tax Joint Economic Committee

Caucus memberships

Climate Solutions Caucus Congressional Western Caucus Conservative Climate Caucus Republican Governance Group Republican Study Committee Republican Main Street Partnership Rare Disease Caucus Congressional Hellenic Caucus Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance Caucus Republican Israel Caucus US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus Congressional Zoo and Aquarium Caucus Law Enforcement Caucus Armenian Caucus SALT Caucus Congressional Taiwan Caucus Congressional Ukraine Caucus Congressional Egypt Caucus Congressional Cigar Caucus Friends of Ireland Caucus Congressional Hispanic Conference Caucus Problem Solvers Caucus

Political positions Malliotakis has opposed congestion pricing in the most congested parts of Manhattan. In 2024, she said she was looking for "any legislative and legal option" to stop the congestion pricing plan.

Malliotakis opposed raising fees on plastic bags in New York and supports reducing bridge tolls.

Abortion During her 2017 campaign for mayor of New York City, Malliotakis said, "I am not against abortion". As a mayoral candidate, she did not identify as pro-life or pro-choice. Rather, she said, "It's not black or white. I think there's a lot of things that go into a decision of that magnitude". She did not support overturning Roe v. Wade, but has voted against taxpayer-funded abortions and against late-term abortion. When she ran for Congress in 2020, however, she identified as pro-life, even as she reiterated that she does not "hold black-and-white views" on abortion.

COVID-19 Malliotakis voted against the American Rescue Plan in 2021, but after its passage, she touted aspects of the legislation as one of her "achievements".

Donald Trump Malliotakis voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. During her mayoral campaign, she said that she regretted voting for Trump and that she would "write in Marco Rubio so that I could tell you I voted for Marco Rubio." In 2020, however, she endorsed and said that she voted for Trump.

Shortly after Joe Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election, Malliotakis refused to acknowledge Biden's win, echoing Trump's refusal to concede the election. In the aftermath, Malliotakis supported Trump's false claims of election fraud. On January 6, 2021, Malliotakis voted to object to counting either Arizona's or Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election based on disproved allegations of voter fraud and unconstitutional procedures. On January 9, more than 300 protesters, including seven New York City and New York State elected officials, gathered outside her Brooklyn office to call for her to either vote to impeach Trump or resign. On January 13, she voted against Trump's second impeachment for inciting the storming of the Capitol.

She again endorsed Trump in 2024.

In the 119th United States Congress, she co-sponsored a pair of resolutions meant to expunge Trump's impeachments.

George Santos After Donald Trump commuted the sentence of former representative George Santos in 2025, Malliotakis said:

Health care She has criticized the Affordable Care Act, saying it is "strangling the business community."

Immigration Malliotakis has repeatedly called for the implementation of additional security measures on the border between the United States and Mexico. She opposes sanctuary city status for illegal immigrants in New York City.

Infrastructure On November 5, 2021, Malliotakis was among the 13 House Republicans who voted with a majority of Democrats to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending bill.

LGBTQ+ rights After originally opposing same-sex marriage as a member of the Assembly, Malliotakis said she regretted that position and voted to support adoptions by same-sex parents and to protect estate rights for married same-sex couples.

In Congress, Malliotakis voted against the Equality Act. On July 19, 2022, Malliotakis and 46 other Republican Representatives voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law. She said, "In 2017, I expressed my deep regret for voting against a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in New York State while in the state Assembly six years prior. Over the past decade, I have attended two weddings of couples who deserve equal recognition and protection under the law." On December 8, 2022, she and 38 other Republican representatives voted for the final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.

Electoral history

Personal life Malliotakis is multilingual. She speaks English and Spanish fluently and also speaks some Greek.