Kristen Gonzalez
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kristen Gonzalez
| image = File:(01-04-23) NYS Senator Kristen Gonzalez.jpg
| caption = Kristen Gonzalez gets sworn in as a New York State Senator in the Senate Chamber, Capitol, Albany New York. Photo courtesy of NYS Senate Media Services
| alt = Kristen Gonzalez
| state_senate = New York State
| district = 59th
| term_start = January 1, 2023
| term_end =
| predecessor =
| successor = Patrick M. Gallivan (redistricting)
| birth_name =
| birth_place = Elmhurst, New York, U.S.
| party = Democratic
| otherparty = Working Families Party
Democratic Socialists of America
| education =
| website = {{url|https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/kristen-gonzalez|Official website}}
}}
Kristen S. Gonzalez is an American politician. A Democrat, she represents District 59, which contains parts of Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, in the New York State Senate.{{cite news|last=Garber|first=Nick|date=August 25, 2022|title=Astoria's 'socialist slate': Kristen Gonzalez breaks down her win|work=Patch.com|url=https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/astorias-socialist-slate-kristen-gonzalez-breaks-down-her-win|url-status=live|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825195044/https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/astorias-socialist-slate-kristen-gonzalez-breaks-down-her-win|archive-date=August 25, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Garber|first=Nick|date=August 23, 2022|title=Astoria, LIC election results: Kristen Gonzalez beats Crowley|work=Patch.com|url=https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/astoria-lic-election-results-gonzalez-crowley-senate-race-more|url-status=live|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831071535/https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/astoria-lic-election-results-gonzalez-crowley-senate-race-more|archive-date=August 31, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Garber|first=Nick|date=August 15, 2022|title=Queens senate race: Nomiki Konst drops out, endorses Kristen Gonzalez|work=Patch.com|url=https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/queens-senate-race-nomiki-konst-drops-out-endorses-kristen|url-status=live|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818061014/https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/queens-senate-race-nomiki-konst-drops-out-endorses-kristen|archive-date=August 18, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Parry|first=Bill|date=August 23, 2022|title=Gonzalez declares victory in newly-drawn 59th senate district in western Queens|work=Queens Courier|url=https://qns.com/2022/08/gonzalez-59th-senate-district-western-queens/|url-status=live|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826205941/https://qns.com/2022/08/gonzalez-59th-senate-district-western-queens/|archive-date=August 26, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Garcia|first=Deanna|date=August 26, 2022|title=27-year-old democratic socialist details her primary win|work=NY1|url=https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/inside-city-hall/2022/08/27/27-year-old-democratic-socialist-details-her-primary-win|url-status=live|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827023833/https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/inside-city-hall/2022/08/27/27-year-old-democratic-socialist-details-her-primary-win|archive-date=August 27, 2022}}
Early life and education
Gonzalez was born in Elmhurst, Queens, to a Puerto Rican mother and a Colombian father.https://www.gonzalezforny.com/about/{{cite news|last1=Irizarry Aponte|first1=Claudia|last2=Joseph|first2=George|last3=Custodio|first3=Jonathan|last4=Honan|first4=Katie|date=August 23, 2022|title=Kristen González declares victory in Queens senate primary, while incumbents hold on|work=The City|url=https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/8/23/23319427/kristen-gonzalez-state-senate-socialist|url-status=live|access-date=November 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824050816/https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/8/23/23319427/kristen-gonzalez-state-senate-socialist|archive-date=August 24, 2022}} She attended Dalton, a prep school on the Upper East Side. After high school, she attended Columbia University.{{cite web|title=About Kristen Gonzalez|work=Gonzalez For NY|url=https://www.gonzalezforny.com/about/|access-date=August 4, 2023}}
New York State Senate <!--(2023–present)-->
= 2022 election =
Gonzalez announced her candidacy for New York's 17th Senate District in the 2022 general election on February 2, 2022.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-02 |title=New Queens Senate district opens gate for progressive LIC candidate |url=https://queenseagle.com/all/2022/2/2/new-queens-senate-district-opens-gate-for-progressive-lic-candidate |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.queenseagle.com |language=en}} Due to subsequent redistricting, Gonzalez changed her candidacy to the 59th Senate District.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-15 |title=KRISTEN GONZALEZ ANNOUNCES HER CANDIDACY FOR STATE SENATE DISTRICT 59: Q&A WITH GREENPOINTERS |url=https://greenpointers.com/2022/02/15/kristen-gonzalez-announces-her-candidacy-for-state-senate-district-17-qa-with-greenpointers/ |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.greenpointers.com |language=en}} Gonzalez's biggest competition in the Democratic primary was former New York City council member Elizabeth Crowley, cousin of former Congressman Joe Crowley.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-22 |title=Elizabeth Crowley Attracts GOP, Real Estate Donors in Dem Primary |url=https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/7/22/23274942/elizabeth-crowley-attracts-gop-real-estate-donors-in-dem-primary |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.thecity.nyc |language=en}} Crowley outspent Gonzalez four to one during the campaign.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-08 |title=Socialist Kristen Gonzalez: We Defeated the Democratic Machine |url=https://jacobin.com/2022/09/socialist-kristen-gonzalez-state-senate-district-59-climate-housing |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.jacobin.com |language=en}} Nomiki Konst also ran for the seat before withdrawing her candidacy and endorsing Gonzalez.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-16 |title=Progressives in open war for State Senate seat |url=https://nypost.com/2022/07/16/nomiki-konst-kristen-gonzalez-at-war-for-state-senate-seat/ |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.nypost.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-15 |title=Queens Senate Race: Nomiki Konst Drops Out, Endorses Kristen Gonzalez |url=https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/queens-senate-race-nomiki-konst-drops-out-endorses-kristen |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.patch.com |language=en}} On August 24, 2022, Gonzalez beat Crowley by over twenty-five percentage points.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-24 |title=Socialism Wins – Kristen Gonzalez Thumps Opposition to Win Senate District 59 Primary |url=https://astoriapost.com/socialism-wins-kristen-gonzales-thumps-opposition-to-win-senate-district-59-primary |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.astoriapost.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-24 |title=Astoria, LIC Election Results: Kristen Gonzalez Beats Crowley |url=https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/astoria-lic-election-results-gonzalez-crowley-senate-race-more |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.patch.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-24 |title=KRISTEN GONZALEZ WINS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR STATE SENATE |url=https://greenpointers.com/2022/08/24/kristen-gonzalez-wins-democratic-primary-for-state-senate/ |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.greenpointers.com |language=en}} She represents portions of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens — including the neighborhoods of Astoria, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Stuyvesant Town, and Long Island City.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-09 |title=Astoria's Kristen Gonzalez To Host Inauguration Event In Queens |url=https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/astoria-s-kristen-gonzalez-host-inauguration-event-queens |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.patch.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-22 |title=Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2022 - Kristen Gonzalez, New York State Senate District 59 |url=https://www.jejunemagazine.com/home/kristen-gonzalez |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.jejunemagazine.com |language=en}}
Electoral history
{{election box begin no change
| title = New York State Senate, 59th district, 2022{{cite web|date=August 23, 2022|title=New York State Senate primary election results, 59th district, 2022|url=https://web.enrboenyc.us/CD256380.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824171943/https://web.enrboenyc.us/CD256380.html|archive-date=August 24, 2022|access-date=November 9, 2022|website=New York City Board of Elections}}
}}
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Democratic primary
{{election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Kristen Gonzalez
| votes = 13,115
| percentage = 58.14%
}}
{{election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Elizabeth Crowley
| votes = 7,333
| percentage = 32.51%
}}
{{election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Michael D. Corbett
| votes = 1,461
| percentage = 6.48%
}}
{{election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Nomiki Konst (withdrawn)
| votes = 351
| percentage = 1.55%
}}
{{election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Francoise Olivas (withdrawn)
| votes = 252
| percentage = 1.12%
}}
{{election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 46
| percentage = 0.20%
}}
{{election box total no change
| votes = 22,558
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General election
{{election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Kristen Gonzalez
| votes =56,339
| percentage =
}}
{{election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Working Families Party
| candidate = Kristen Gonzalez
| votes =12,711
| percentage =
}}
{{election box winning candidate no change
| party = Total
| candidate = Kristen Gonzalez
| votes =69,050
| percentage =98.9%
}}
{{election box write-in with party link no change
| votes =766
| percentage =1.1%
}}
{{election box total no change
| votes =69,816
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box new seat win
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.gonzalezforny.com/ Campaign website]
{{s-start}}
{{s-par | us-ny-sen}}
{{s-bef | before = Patrick M. Gallivan
(redistricting)}}
{{s-ttl | title = Member of the New York State Senate
from the 59th district | years = taking office January 1, 2023}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{New York State Senate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Kristen}}
Category:Activists from New York City
Category:Members of the Democratic Socialists of America from New York (state)
Category:Democratic Party New York (state) state senators
Category:People from Elmhurst, Queens
Category:Politicians from Queens, New York
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Women state legislators in New York (state)
Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature
{{NewYork-NYSenate-stub}}