Kristen Gonzalez
Kristen Serene Gonzalez is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Senate representing the 59th district, which contains parts of Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn.
Gonzalez was born in Elmhurst, Queens, to a Puerto Rican mother and a Colombian father. She attended Dalton, a prep school on the Upper East Side. After high school, she attended Columbia University.
2022 election
Gonzalez announced her candidacy for New York's 17th Senate District in the 2022 general election on February 2, 2022. Due to subsequent redistricting, Gonzalez changed her candidacy to the 59th Senate District. Gonzalez's biggest competition in the Democratic primary was former New York City council member Elizabeth Crowley, cousin of former Congressman Joe Crowley. Crowley outspent Gonzalez four to one during the campaign. Nomiki Konst also ran for the seat before withdrawing her candidacy and endorsing Gonzalez. On August 24, 2022, Gonzalez beat Crowley by over twenty-five percentage points. She represents portions of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens — including the neighborhoods of Astoria, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Stuyvesant Town, and Long Island City. Gonzalez is a member of the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.