You are reading

Francoise Olivas Drops Out of District 59 Senate Race, Endorses Crowley

Francoise Olivas (L) and Elizabeth Crowley (R). Olivas announced Monday that she has dropped out of the District 59 senate race and is endorsing Crowley (Photos: campaigns)

July 25, 2022 By Christian Murray

Francoise Olivas, a left-leaning community organizer from Greenpoint, announced Monday that she is dropping out of the race to represent the newly created district 59 senate seat and has decided to endorse Elizabeth Crowley.

Olivas, who is a small business owner and has a sizable following in north Brooklyn, ran on a platform that called for universal childcare, the passage of the New York Health Act, protecting the environment and other progressive policies. She announced this morning that her campaign had ended, and she is backing Crowley.

“I proudly endorse Elizabeth Crowley,” Olivas said. “Today we stand united for the greater good of our community.”

The endorsement will go a long way for Crowley, whose strength is in Queens. Olivas who is well known in north Brooklyn is expected to bolster her campaign.

“I gratefully and warmly accept the endorsement of Françoise, a fellow mother who understands the true stakes in this race,” Crowley said. “Support from community leaders like Françoise shows that our campaign continues to gain momentum in the final weeks before the Democratic primary.”

The race to represent Senate District 59, the newly created seat that covers Long Island City, Astoria, Greenpoint, Williamsburg and a portion of Manhattan, is now being fought among Crowley, Kristen Gonzalez, Nomiki Konst and Mike Corbett.

The race has not been without controversy, with Gonzalez taking to Twitter to accuse Konst of racism and Konst also using Twitter to accuse the Gonzalez campaign of harassment. A nasty stream of comments by their respective supporters were posted on Twitter.

Olivas said she felt good about the race that she ran. “I entered this race with a pure heart and good intentions, to solve problems in our community. I entered this race to bring progressive ideas and solutions to the table. I am proud of the campaign we have run,” she said.

Crowley, who has raised more than $500,000 in her bid for the seat, is believed to be a frontrunner along with Gonzalez who raised more than $150,000.

Crowley has been backed by several large unions, including the United Federation of Teachers, New York state AFL-CIO, District Council 37 and Communications Workers of America. Among her supporters are Rep. Gregory Meeks, several moderate Democrats, and the Queens County Democratic Organization.

“This campaign is about supporting working families and making New York more affordable,” Crowley said. “We have to fix the affordable housing crisis, invest in smart transit solutions and cut the cost of childcare. We need to build new schools and make CUNY and SUNY free for all. Right now Albany needs experienced leaders in office more than ever.”

Gonzalez is supported by the Democratic Socialists of America and Working Families Party, as well as Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Nydia Velázquez; State Senators Michael Gianaris and Julia Salazar are among her many supporters.

The primary is scheduled for Aug. 23.

 

email the author: [email protected]
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

CM Moya announces support for massive Metropolitan Park proposal near Citi Field

Council Member Francisco Moya announced his support for Metropolitan Park, a proposal put forward by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International that calls for the construction of a casino and entertainment complex on the parking lot just west of Citi Field.

In a lengthy statement released on Thursday afternoon, Moya said that when he was first approached about the project, his main consideration was ensuring that it would meet the needs of his constituents and provide a major boost to the local economy.

Long Island man charged in fatal Flushing hit-and-run that left 81-year-old man dead: NYPD

A Long Island truck driver was arrested on Tuesday and booked at the 109th Precinct in Flushing for a fatal hit-and-run collision that killed a Murray Hill senior who was riding an electric bike on Northern Boulevard three months ago.

Kyle Schreiber, 27, of Lincoln Boulevard in Hauppauge, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in the death of 81-year-old Peter Seo on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 28.

MTA seizes 19 ‘ghost’ cars registered to toll violators at Queens Midtown Tunnel on Monday

Two days before the MTA Board approved the controversial congestion pricing plan for Manhattan on Wednesday, the agency cracked down on persistent toll violators at the Queens Midtown Tunnel in Long Island City.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels seized 19 vehicles registered to persistent scofflaws on Monday and issued 81 summonses and confiscated two fraudulent incense plates. The MTA noted that the scofflaws accounted for approximately $483,000 in combined unpaid tolls and fees. One of the top persistent toll violators from the targeted enforcement owed nearly $76,000 in tolls and fees.