Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D.N.Y., supported a Democratic New York State Senate candidate and celebrated her primary victory by declaring that “socialism wins.”
After winning her primary election, Kristen Gonzalez, a tech worker, declared the victory to cheering supporters.
Gonzalez runs on a socialist far-left platform, promising to “cancel student loans,” “free healthcare,” and “build a Green New York,” and to “good cause rent protections,” which make it more difficult for landlords to evict tenants. She also promises to “make sure our neighbourhoods stay working-class.
Gonzalez’s campaign website states that we must tax the wealthy to invest in public housing and to build hundreds of thousands more affordable and green homes. This will solve the housing crisis, and help us create a Green New York.
Gonzalez, who was part the Obama administration’s final intern class, and is a former staffer of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), is also running on a platform for “queer liberation.”
“Trans and queer rights are under attack with our Black siblings being disproportionately affected. These attacks are overwhelmingly focused on youth and schools but they are just the beginning of an even larger attack on queer identity and bodily autonomy,” reads the socialist candidate’s “Queer Liberation Platform”.
Gonzalez stated, “To fully achieve queer freedom, we must address the attacks against queer and trans rights. We also need to ensure that our housing, healthcare and education systems are inclusive and provide dignity for everyone.”
Gonzalez’s Tuesday primary victory makes her the latest socialist candidate in a Democratic primary election.
Socialist candidates are more prominent on the right since Ocasio Cortez’s rise and the “Squad” and are more prevalent in deep blue areas such as New York City or Austin, Texas.
Greg Casar, a former Austin city councilman, defeated Eddie Rodriguez, Texas state representative for the 35th district’s Democratic nomination. This was one of many closely watched blue primaries in Texas.
Casar, who is a Democratic socialist, is running to represent a portion of San Antonio and Austin. The district was previously represented by Lloyd Doggett, a Democratic Representative.
Doggett voted to run for the new Texas 37th District, leaving his seat in an area that is heavily Democratic open.
Casar’s primary win means that he is likely the winner of the general election, and will be the next socialist to head to Washington.
In Washington, Democratic House Candidat Rebecca Parson stated that she would propose a Housing for All Bill and allow a million people to break into homes across the country to push the legislation.
Gonzalez, a political novice, defeated Elizabeth Crowley, Democrat challenger, who is a cousin of former Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y.
Ironically, Crowley was defeated by Ocasio-Cortez in 2018, a congressional upset in which she backed Gonzalez. Crowley was just a newcomer.
Preliminary results reveal a wide gap between Gonzalez and Crowley. Gonzalez took home 59 percent.
