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Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a top progressive in Congress, is backing former businessman and Kansas state representative Raj Goyle in his bid to become New York’s next comptroller.
“I am proud to endorse [Goyle] for New York State Comptroller. Raj has been a lifelong progressive: fighting for immigrant communities, defending reproductive freedom and holding corporations accountable,” Jayapal said in a post to X on Monday.
The language of her endorsement seems to clash with Goyle’s characterization of himself as a moderate with a track record of agreeing with Republicans on a majority of issues.
“In the state house, I voted with Republicans 80% of the time. I was one of the top five Democrats in agreeing with Republicans. And 89% of the legislation I sponsored, I sponsored with Republicans,” Goyle said in a campaign ad he filmed while pursuing Congressional office in Kansas.
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Rep. Pramila Jayapal urged Democrats to “stand strong” amid the federal government shutdown. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Goyle has also attracted the support of other progressives besides Jayapal.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., another high-ranking progressive in the House, endorsed Goyle late last year. When asked about his support, Khanna’s office said the pair’s relationship spanned years.
“Rep. Khanna has known Raj Goyle for decades and appreciated his commitment to public service and working-class Americans,” Khanna’s office said in a statement.
Goyle, who has an Indian heritage, also shares similar backgrounds with Jayapal and Khanna as a fellow South Asian Democrat.
Notably, he has not received an endorsement from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — another key progressive Democrat.
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Raj Goyle speaks at the ‘Geopolitics Today’ panel during the The Juggernaut Summit 2023 at Spring Studios on Sept. 22, 2023 in New York City. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
Goyle previously represented Kansas’ 87th state district in the state’s House of Representatives as a Democrat from 2007-2011. In 2010, he would wage a bid for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District, raising $1.8 million for his bid, according to FEC records. Ultimately, he would lose out to Republican candidate Mike Pompeo.
Pompeo beat out Goyle in a 58.8% – 36.5% victory.
After his loss, Boyle would go on to found Bodhala, a business and legal analysis firm headquartered in New York City, before eventually selling the company in 2021.
Now, as he pursues the New York Comptroller Office, in which capacity he would become the state’s chief fiscal officer, Goyle has pitched himself as a progressive who bucked the trend in a red-leaning state.
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“During his four years in the Kansas legislature, Raj voted down the line as a pro-labor, pro-choice and anti-NRA progressive,” Goyle wrote on his website.
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“His votes and advocacy supported working families, reduced healthcare costs, improved public schools and fought for immigration justice and clean energy — all in a deep-red state.”
Goyle and Jayapal did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.