AG Letitia James endorses González-Rojas for state Senate
Source: QNS
Attorney-General Letitia James has endorsed Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas in her bid for the 13th Senate District in a major boost for the González-Rojas campaign.
It marks the latest high-profile endorsement González-Rojas has picked up since filing to primary incumbent State Sen. Jessica Ramos last year. Former State Sen. Hiram Monserrate, who previously represented the 13th District and served as Ramos’s old boss, is also running for the seat.
James announced her endorsement at a tenant protection rally in LeFrak City over the weekend, describing González-Rojas as a “consistent advocate” for tenants, immigrants and working people.
“Working families in Queens deserve leaders who will fight every single day to keep people in their homes and make New York more affordable,” James said in a statement. “I’m proud to endorse González-Rojas for State Senate because I know JGR will continue standing up to powerful interests and fighting for the people of Queens.”
González-Rojas announced her candidacy for the seat last July, weeks after Ramos made a last-minute decision to endorse fellow mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo ahead of last year’s Democratic primary. The decision appeared to alienate Ramos’s progressive base.
González-Rojas, on the other hand, endorsed Zohran Mamdani ahead of the primary last year and picked up a slate of progressive endorsements immediately after announcing her candidacy.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Assembly Members Catalina Cruz, Steve Raga, Claire Valdez and Phara Souffrant Forrest all immediately backed González-Rojas in the race, while Make the Road Action – a non-profit affiliated with immigrant rights group Make the Road – endorsed her in September.
U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nydia Velázquez both endorsed González-Rojas in November, touting her as a “bold and unafraid” leader who was “deeply rooted” in the local community.
“This campaign is about who New York works for: does it work for billionaires and corporate landlords, or does it work for the families in Jackson Heights, Corona, LeFrak City, Elmhurst, and East Elmhurst who are struggling every day just to stay in the communities they helped build?” González-Rojas said in a statement.
Ramos, meanwhile, has secured endorsements from elected officials and local labor unions, including State Sens. James Sanders, Leroy Comrie and Joseph Addabbo.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins has also endorsed Ramos’s re-election campaign, pointing to Ramos’s “consistent” support for working families.
“Senator Jessica Ramos has been a valued member of our Majority Conference. She has consistently supported working families and advocated for the people who keep New York City moving—our partners in labor,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement announcing the endorsement last month. “Her work has helped improve the lives of her constituents and residents across the city. I am endorsing her candidacy to continue serving and representing the people of Queens.”
Monserrate, on the other hand, has centered his campaign around quality-of-life issues. A district leader in the area, Monserrate has led a public campaign against crime and prostitution along Roosevelt Avenue for several years, frequently attacking local elected officials over the issue.
Monserrate has frequently run for elected office since being released from prison in 2014 after serving 21 months on mail fraud and mail fraud conspiracy charges. Monseratte was expelled from the State Senate in 2010 following a misdemeanor domestic assault conviction.
In a statement released earlier this year, Monserrate said he was taking responsibility for his past actions and said he was not running from his record.
“My life today is grounded and steady,” Monserrate said. “I have been married for ten years and am raising a son. These commitments shape how I listen, how I decide and how I lead. I am running because this district faces challenges that affect everyday life.”
