AOC aims to topple Albany incumbents with slate of soft-on-crime Democrats

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced she's backing a slate of progressive candidates to topple eight Democratic incumbents.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Pictures

With New York Metropolis reeling from random killings of harmless subway riders and youngsters taking part in on the street, socialist firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is pushing like-minded “defund the police” insurgents to major sitting Albany Democrats, The Publish has discovered.

AOC introduced Monday she’s backing a slate of candidates to topple seven Democratic incumbents within the upcoming June 28 celebration major elections.

In an alliance with the left-wing Working Households Get together, she’s trying to defeat longtime incumbents with shut ties to Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie, together with fellow Bronx Meeting members Jeffrey Dinowitz and Michael Benedetto.

Benedetto, a retired faculty instructor first elected in 2004, is being challenged by former AOC staffer Jonathan Soto. Benedetto accused AOC of making an attempt to hijack the Democratic-led Meeting with an anti-public security agenda.

Almost his total 82nd Meeting District overlaps with AOC’s congressional district that takes in Metropolis Island, Pelham Bay, Throgs Neck, components of Morris Park and Co-Op Metropolis.

AOC introduced her soft-on-crime endorsements at some point after Daniel Enriquez was killed on a subway automotive.

Michael Dalton

“I’m certain AOC would like to see the Meeting turn into a part of the Democratic socialist motion to defund the police,” stated Benedetto.

“AOC and her candidates will make New York much less protected in the event that they prevail.”

Nonetheless, he stated, AOC and Soto picked the mistaken struggle within the mistaken district.

“The constituents in my district are frequent sense people who find themselves very, very involved in regards to the high quality of life and security within the streets and are towards most of the issues Ms. Cortez makes noise about,” Benendetto stated.

Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, who was first elected in 2004, is being challenged by one in every of AOC’s former staffers.

Robert Miller

“I’m able to struggle for the job I really like.”

Benedetto, chairman of the training committee, is aiding Mayor Eric Adams’ push to get Albany to resume Hizzoner’ss authority to run the town public faculty system — elevating the chance that Adams, a foe of democratic socialism, will endorse Benedetto over AOC’s candidate.

AOC is also backing rebel Jessica Altagracia Woolford within the Bronx’s Riverdale part towards celebration stalwart Jeff Dinowitz within the 81st district that takes in Riverdale.

Assemblywoman Inez Dickens, who has deep ties to the Harlem Democratic institution, is being challenged by a founding member of the Housing Justice for All coalition.

Twitter / @ericadamsfornyc

In the meantime, she’s trying to defeat Assemblywoman Inez Dickens, who has deep ties to the Harlem Democratic institution and Eric Dilan, a Brooklyn Democratic Get together stalwart.

AOC as a substitute is backing Delsenia Glover, a lifelong Harlemite and tenant chief and founding member of the Housing Justice for All coalition, towards Dickens.

She additionally endorsed Samy Olivares within the 54th AD — who could be the primary “genderqueer” state legislator in accordance with the Ocasio-Cortez launch — towards Dilan.

The AOC slate additionally contains immigrant rights organizer and Peekskill resident Vanessa Agudelo, who's working for an empty seat to switch incumbent Sandra Galef, who is just not looking for reelection within the ninety fifth AD within the decrease Hudson Valley; Sarahana Shrestha over incumbent Kevin Cahill within the 103rd AD within the higher Hudson Valley; and public faculty instructor Justin Chaires towards incumbent Angelo Santabarbara within the capital area.

AOC is endorsing insurgents out of NYC as effectively, together with a challenger for retiring Hudson Valley Assemblywoman Sandra Galef’s seat.

R Umar Abbasi

As well as, she endorsed Keron Alleyne within the sixtieth AD in Brooklyn’s East New York towards incumbent Nikki Lucas.

For an open seat in Western Queens, she’s backing Juan Ardila, who misplaced a major to Metropolis Councilman Robert Holden final yr.

“These working-class candidates are working on assured healthcare, inexpensive housing, and local weather justice for each New Yorker, however they’re dealing with down deep pockets: politicians backed by actual property builders, Wall Avenue, and Large Pharma,” Ocasio-Cortez stated within the e-fundraising blitz despatched to supporters on behalf of her slate of candidates Monday.

“Are you able to contribute $28 to those candidates so we win a New York the place everyone seems to be fed, sheltered, and cared for? Each greenback counts…. the barrier to our problems with assured healthcare, inexpensive housing, and local weather justice is the corporate-backed incumbents within the different physique of the state legislature, the NY State Meeting. Till we win a progressive State Meeting, none of our remaining points will go.”