ALBANY, N.Y. (Diya TV) — A former federal prosecutor has entered the race for the Republican nomination for New York attorney general, setting up a high-profile challenge to Democratic incumbent Letitia James. Indian American Saritha Komatireddy announced her campaign Monday and pledged to shift the office’s focus back to public safety and crime reduction.
Komatireddy worked for more than a decade in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. She served as chief of International Narcotics and Money Laundering, deputy chief of Appeals, and deputy chief of General Crimes. She handled cases involving al Qaeda, ISIS, and the Sinaloa cartel.
“I’ve spent over a decade prosecuting the worst of the worst. Terrorists, murderers, fraudsters, and hackers,” Komatireddy said in her announcement. She argued that the attorney general’s office has become distracted by political fights. She said the office must “get back to basics” and protect New Yorkers.
The 41 year old said she wants to make public safety the center of her campaign. “If New York isn’t safe, nothing else matters,” she said. She added that residents “from Bethpage to Buffalo, Staten Island to Saratoga Springs” should feel confident that the attorney general keeps their safety first. Komatireddy is a Harvard College and Harvard Law School graduate. She clerked for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he served on the U.S. Court of Appeals. She is a married mother of four and has taught at Columbia University Law School for more than 10 years.
She joins a growing Republican field. Michael Henry, the GOP’s 2022 attorney general nominee, is considering another run. Crypto lawyer Khurram Dara is also weighing a campaign. Komatireddy would likely face a primary before a general election against James, who has held the office since 2019.
James, 67, has shaped the attorney general’s office into a national force on major legal battles. Her investigative report on former Gov. Andrew Cuomo led to his 2021 resignation over sexual misconduct allegations, which he denied. She also secured a civil fraud judgment against former President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization. The case centered on inflated asset valuations that prosecutors said misled banks and insurers. A New York appeals court later threw out the more than $500 million fine tied to the decision. Trump has long argued the case was a partisan attack.
James also faced legal trouble of her own when the Trump administration’s Justice Department indicted her on mortgage fraud charges involving a home in Norfolk, Virginia. Prosecutors claimed she falsely said she would be the sole occupant of the property when her grandniece lived there and paid rent. A federal judge dismissed the charges last week. The ruling said interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan was improperly appointed and lacked the authority to bring the indictments against James and former FBI Director James Comey in a separate case.
James said she was innocent and accused Trump of using the Justice Department to retaliate against political opponents. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the department will appeal the dismissal.
Komatireddy said the controversy around the attorney general’s office shows why new leadership is needed. She argued that New Yorkers want an attorney general focused on crime, not political battles. Her campaign will highlight her background as a federal prosecutor and her experience handling complex criminal cases.
The race is expected to draw national attention. James has become one of the country’s most visible state attorneys general, while Republicans see the seat as a chance to reset the state’s approach to law enforcement. With public safety remaining a top issue for voters, both parties will frame the contest as a fight over the future of New York.
Komatireddy said she is ready for that fight. “I’ll focus all my energy on the safety of the people of New York,” she said. Her campaign plans to build its message around law and order, government accountability, and restoring trust in the attorney general’s office. The election will test whether Republicans can gain ground in a state long dominated by Democrats — and whether voters want a prosecutor’s approach guiding New York’s top legal office.
