González-Rojas to primary Ramos

Queens Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas filed to run against State Senator Jessica Ramos next year. Eagle photos by Ryan Schwach

By Ryan Schwach

Queens Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas has filed to primary State Senator Jessica Ramos for her Western Queens seat next year.

The filing, first reported by City & State, comes after weeks of rumors that the assemblymember would challenge Ramos, who made a last-minute and controversial endorsement of Andrew Cuomo ahead of the June Democratic mayoral primary, which Ramos herself was running in.

"I'm running for State Senate because the people of Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights deserve bold, values-driven leadership that listens, collaborates, and delivers,” González-Rojas said in a statement. “Together, we can build a future that centers working families and creates real results for our neighborhoods.”

González-Rojas had been considering the bid for Ramos’ seat for several weeks, and told political reporter Ben Max last week on a podcast that her “phone[‘s] been ringing off the hook,” regarding a race against Ramos.

“But I want to make sure my community of Western Queens is getting the best representation possible, and I'm taking this all into consideration,” she said.

González-Rojas is expected to start consolidating support among the progressive movement in Queens and across the city, many of whom soured on Ramos after her Cuomo endorsement.

Earlier this month, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards told the Eagle he would support González-Rojas over Ramos “on day one.”

Richards’ office said he did not have anything to add following the filing, but added that he stood by his previous comments.

González-Rojas is one of the more progressive members of the Queens delegation in Albany, and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. However, she has never been endorsed by the organization.

Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, who represents Brooklyn, said on X that she would back JGR, making her the first among the DSA-backed bloc in the state legislature to back the assemblymember – the bloc also includes Queens representatives Zohran Mamdani, Claire Valdez, Kristen Gonzalez and Julia Salazar.

On Wedneday, DSA-backed Queens City Councilmember Tiffany Cabán signaled her support for González-Rojas on social media.

González-Rojas backed Mamdani in the mayor’s race. The 33-year-old nominee won Ramos’ senate district by 16 points.

Ramos has represented the Corona, Jackson Heights and Elmhurst centered district since 2019 when she defeated conservative Independent Democratic Conference member Jose Peralta in the Democratic primary.

Last year, she gained citywide attention for her refusal to introduce a parkland alienation bill needed by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen in order to pursue his casino plan. The bill was later introduced by her colleague, State Senator John Liu.

Ramos was one of the first candidates and the first woman to announce her run for mayor, and ultimately backed Cuomo while staying on the ballot and finishing ninth in the race. Her endorsement of Cuomo was largely criticized by progressives who cited Ramos’ frequent attacks on the former governor during the campaign and during his tenure in the governor’s mansion.

“We welcome Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas to the New York State Senate race,” Ramos’ spokesperson Trivette Knowles said in a statement. “Democracy thrives when voters have strong candidates and competing visions. I am confident constituents will continue to rally behind Senator Ramos, a lifelong Labor Democrat who has stood side-by-side with workers, fighting tirelessly to raise the minimum wage and expand childcare. No one has worked harder to pass laws protecting workers and lifting wages. Senator Ramos has consistently taken on billionaires, corporations, and special interests for the good of her community.”

“This election is about choosing a candidate with a proven record of delivering tangible results for working-class families,” he added.