NYC-CC21: In the race to replace Francisco Moya, everyone has a candidate

The race to succeed term-limited New York City Council Member Francisco Moya in Queens is beginning to take shape. Four Democratic candidates have officially filed to run for the seat so far. At least three are currently in Puerto Rico for this year’s Somos conference – and two are already backed by prominent lawmakers in the borough.

State Sen. Jessica Ramos’ district director Sandro Stefano Navarro is running. As is Erycka Montoya, who works in intergovernmental affairs with the City Council speaker’s office, and has the support of progressive Assembly Members Catalina Cruz and Jessica González-Rojas. Also running is embattled former lawmaker and Moya rival Hiram Monserrate, who has been trying to mount a comeback since he pleaded guilty to corruption charges related to his previous tenure in the City Council. Nonprofit worker and district leader Yanna Henriquez rounds out the group of candidates with open campaign accounts. All hope to be the next person to represent Council District 21, which encompasses East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, LeFrak City and Corona.

It’s unclear who Moya will end up backing for the seat. Asked by City & State Friday, he said “everyone who is running now, I will not be supporting.” Instead, he explained, he’ll endorse someone who has yet to enter the race. “That candidate will win,” Moya said, declining to specify who that person is. Several Queens operatives guessed that person might be Henriquez – chief program officer at Dominico-American Society of Queens. While she’s yet to formally launch a campaign, Henriquez recently opened an account with the campaign finance board. Like Moya, she’s a district leader for the Queens County Democratic Party and the two have known each other for years. Henriquez did not respond to a request for comment.

Navarro, who currently lives in Jackson Heights, is an Army National Guard veteran who moved to New York from Peru as a teenager. Before he became Ramos’ district director, he worked for several years in the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.



https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2024/11/race-replace-francisco-moya-everyone-has-candidate/400962/?oref=csny-category-lander-river