Working Families Party backs González-Rojas in Assembly District 34

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The Working Families Party has endorsed Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas. Photo courtesy of Gonzalez-Rojas

The Working Families Party has endorsed Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas. Photo courtesy of Gonzalez-Rojas

By David Brand

The Working Families Party has endorsed Jessica González-Rojas in Queens’ Assembly District 34, where she is running to unseat six-term incumbent Michael DenDekker.

The González-Rojas endorsement came Thursday as the WFP announced their support for a slate of progressive candidates challenging incumbents — including some who they have backed in the past.

New York WFP State Director Sochie Nnaemeka said González-Rojas “has the political courage to demand the revenue our communities in Queens need to thrive.“

“Jessica is centering working families, immigrants and communities of color — and we’re proud to fight for her on the campaign trail this year,” she added.

The WFP has played an increasingly influential role in Queens politics in recent years, providing campaign assistance and ground game support for candidates. The party helped State Sens. Jessica Ramos and John Liu topple two incumbent members of the Independent Democratic Conference, late Sen. Jose Peralta and Sen. Tony Avella, in 2018. The IDC was a breakaway faction of Democrats who caucused with Republicans and shifted the balance of power in Albany to the GOP.

The party also extended significant support to public defender Tiffany Cabán in her long-shot bid for Queens district attorney last year. Cabán lost to then-Borough President Melinda Katz by just 55 votes in the Democratic primary following a countywide recount. She now works for the WFP.

Local civic association president Nuala O’Doherty Naranjo, a veteran Manhattan prosecutor, and community organizer Joy Chowdhury are also running in AD34.

DenDekker, who has the support of the Queens County Democratic Party, was first elected to represent parts of Jackson Heights, Woodside and East Elmhurst in 2008. He has run without a primary or general election opponent in the ensuing five election. He told the Eagle in September 2019 that he welcomes the challengers. 

“I think elections are good,” DenDekker said. “I think elections keep an elected official working hard and give the residents a chance to rate their elected officials.”

“This is really a litmus test on your work,” he added. “A review or a rating by your employer.”