Mesothelioma specialist and thoracic surgeon Raja Flores has entered the New York City mayoral race. Dr. Flores is the Chair of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. With his bid for mayor, he hopes to continue serving the public.
Dr. Flores runs as an independent against more than 40 other New Yorkers vying for the mayoral position. Due to term limits, current Mayor Bill de Blasio will leave office at the end of 2021.
Dr. Flores’ Dedication to Public Wellbeing
This is the first time Dr. Flores has run for public office. However, his career has been focused on serving others. Dr. Flores serves in positions in the medical and New York City communities.
“Raja has lived a life where people come first; this won’t change when he is mayor,” reads the candidacy website. “He has and will continue to dedicate his life to the service of humanity for all New Yorkers.”
Roots in the NYC Community
Dr. Flores grew up in the Meatpacking District in New York City in the 1970s. He has spent his career in different boroughs around the city, which he believes gives him a unique understanding of the city’s people.
“Raja Flores is a son of New York City. He’s lived his life in awe of our city and those who call it home … Raja understood the New York hustle from a young age.”
Dr. Flores is also on the Community Board 11 in East Harlem. He serves on the Housing Committee, where he helps advocate for affordable housing in his neighborhood.
In New York City, community boards help to deal with zoning matters, city budgets and municipal services. This ensures the interests of each neighborhood are represented by the elected city government.
Dr. Flores’ Distinguished Career in Medicine
Dr. Flores’ career in medicine has helped inspire him to run for mayor of New York City. Dr. Flores is dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all his patients. He is a distinguished mesothelioma specialist and thoracic surgeon. His education credentials include:
- Medical Degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Residency at Colombia-Presbyterian Medical Center
- Fellowships at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute
In 2010, Dr. Flores was named the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Today, he is the chair of the department.
Dr. Flores has also participated in and led many clinical trials. Mesothelioma clinical trials help researchers, physicians and patients understand this aggressive disease. Dr. Flores’ work in mesothelioma research involves the management and treatment of mesothelioma.
Dr. Flores has also contributed greatly to the care of first responders harmed in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. These attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and affected many more with lasting health issues.
The 9/11 attacks exposed many first responders to asbestos. Dr. Flores has worked closely with these individuals to manage developing respiratory conditions.
In 2017, Dr. Flores was appointed to the Society of Honorary Police Surgeons of the City of New York by the city police commissioner. This honor recognizes his dedication to serving first responders, particularly the firefighters and police personnel affected by 9/11.
His experience working with those harmed in the 9/11 attacks and his other mesothelioma patients has influenced his platform for mayor.
On his candidacy website, Dr. Flores explains the environment plays a large role in an individual’s health. As such, he wants to improve health care in the communities, expand health services for the homeless, provide more resources to hospitals for COVID-19 care and more.
NYC Mayoral Race Heats Up
The 2021 mayoral race is already a very crowded field. Currently, there are more than 40 candidates running.
The next race milestone is the Democratic and Republican primaries on June 22.
Dr. Flores runs on a platform of safety, economic opportunity and equality. According to his campaign website, he is focused on affordable housing and a trustworthy public health system.
“I have cared for thousands of New Yorkers from every borough,” Dr. Flores said in his mayoral announcement. “I have had to remove … ribs, from cancers from asbestos and from secondhand smoke… These are good people, who are the victims of bad policy. To prevent these problems, you don’t need the knife of a surgeon. You need the pen of a mayor, and that’s why I am running for mayor of New York City.”
