ssembly Member Jessica González-Rojas pictured with metropolis and state elected officers, supporters, and neighbors at her Senate race fundraiser on the Queensboro.
Photograph: Kisha Bari/González-Rojas marketing campaign
Meeting Member Jessica González-Rojas picked up a variety of high-profile endorsements after formally launching her state Senate marketing campaign in Jackson Heights Monday night time as she appears to be like to unseat incumbent State Sen. Jessica Ramos within the Democratic main for Senate District 13 subsequent 12 months.
González-Rojas, who at the moment represents Meeting District 34 together with components of Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights, which partially overlaps with Ramos’s Senate district, filed to run as a candidate in subsequent 12 months’s main final week earlier than formally launching her marketing campaign with a fundraiser on the Queensboro at 80-02 Northern Blvd. on Monday night time.
She has since launched a marketing campaign video on social media outlining her promise to convey management that “listens and builds trust.”
“Too often, politics gets stuck in ego and gridlock,” González-Rojas mentioned within the video. “I spent my life organizing, advocating and working in diverse coalitions to get things done. I am unwavering in my values and my commitment to our community.”
González-Rojas has already secured a variety of progressive endorsements forward of subsequent 12 months’s main, with New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Meeting Members Catalina Cruz, Steve Raga, Claire Valdez and Phara Souffrant Forrest all backing González-Rojas for Ramos’s Senate seat.
Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas. Courtesy of González-Rojas’ workplace
Metropolis Council Members Tiffany Cabán, Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Alexa Aviles and Shahana Hanif have additionally endorsed González-Rojas, who picked up assist from former Council Member Danny Dromm and the Dawn Motion NYC, a political motion committee that advocates for political motion on local weather change.
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez additionally outlined her assist for González-Rojas’s Senate marketing campaign in a submit on X, previously Twitter.
González-Rojas touted her file in Albany in Tuesday’s launch video, pointing to her work combating for common college meals and increasing well being care throughout New York State. González-Rojas has sponsored laws that gives free breakfast and lunch to all college students in New York State in addition to laws that gives steady healthcare protection from beginning till the age of six.
“I’m focused on delivering solutions, from securing universal school meals to protecting reproductive rights to expanding health care for all,” González-Rojas mentioned within the video, which didn’t point out Ramos by title.
Ramos, a former candidate for mayor, positioned seventh within the Democratic mayoral main after making a controversial last-minute choice to endorse fellow candidate Andrew Cuomo. That call appeared to alienate Ramos’ progressive base.
However, González-Rojas, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), endorsed eventual main winner and fellow Queens Meeting Member Zohran Mamdani.
Nevertheless, González-Rojas has not been endorsed by the DSA and isn’t a member of the group’s nine-member “Socialists in Office” group in Albany.
Ramos’ workplace didn’t reply to QNS’ request for remark final week, however her chief-of-staff, Trivette Knowles, issued a press release to Metropolis & State welcoming the problem.
Knowles informed the publication that democracy “thrives” when voters have sturdy candidates and competing visions to select from, including that he’s assured constituents will proceed to assist Ramos.
Knowles additionally emphasised the pro-labor laws that Ramos has handed throughout her time in workplace. Ramos at the moment serves as chair of the Senate Labor Committee.
Ramos additionally gained widespread consideration final 12 months when she refused to introduce parkland alienation laws within the state Senate to facilitate plans for Steve Cohen’s deliberate Metropolitan Park on line casino mission. Ramos constantly confronted calls to introduce the laws earlier than state Sen. John Liu ultimately launched it earlier this 12 months.
Ramos informed QNS in Might that she was disillusioned that the Senate voted in favor of the laws, which reclassifies a parking zone adjoining to Citi Subject that’s at the moment designated as public parkland, as industrial property.
State Senator Jessica Ramos. File picture courtesy of Ramos’ workplace
Talking throughout a go to to the Elmhurst Older Grownup Heart on Thursday, Might 29, Ramos mentioned it’s a actuality that three Downstate on line casino licenses are coming to New York Metropolis however mentioned she believes she has “done her job” representing the views of the “vast majority” of her constituency.
“I believe in doing my due diligence. I love talking to my neighbors,” Ramos mentioned. “If you were to poll this senior center right now, they would tell you they don’t want a casino. It’s something that’s predatory.”
González-Rojas, then again, voted in favor of the laws, citing the wide-ranging advantages the mission may convey to the neighborhood.
“I voted in favor of the project because it would bring much-needed public park space, retail, entertainment, hospitality, child care, and community facilities to the area, in addition to the proposed casino,” González-Rojas mentioned on the time of the vote in Might.
She emphasised that the laws applies solely to the 50 acres of asphalt parking zone adjoining to Citi Subject and doesn’t take away any present inexperienced house.
“Though still technically designated as parkland, they have never functioned as actual park space,” she added.
