
Queens Post
Tensions are running high between the campaigns of two progressive
candidates who are both running to represent the District 59 seat in the
state senate.
Nomiki
Konst and Kristen Gonzalez—both left leaning candidates in the race to
represent western Queens, north Brooklyn and parts of Manhattan—have
been waging a war of words on social media.
Gonzalez has leveled claims that Konst is racist, while Konst has
accused Gonzalez’s campaign of harassment, intimidation and inciting
violence.
The animus between the two campaigns began the moment that Konst announced on June 1 that she was running.
Konst, a well-known progressive who ran for NYC public advocate in
2019, was criticized from the get-go since Gonzalez had announced months
prior that she was running for state senate. Gonzalez had already
received the backing of scores of high-profile progressives—including
the NYC-DSA, the Working Families Party, and Rep. Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez—and that there were fears that Konst would jeopardize her
campaign.
Konst faced an avalanche of criticism on Twitter when she announced.
“This is so selfish and wasteful. We have a Latina socialist running
in the district who has a track record in this particular community
& has a winning coalition of endorsements & she’s up against a
machine hack. Don’t split the vote! And for what?!” posted Elana Levin,
whose tweet got 320 likes and reflected the sentiments of DSA
supporters.
Many of Gonzalez’s followers—as well as DSA members–believe that
Konst’s campaign will help candidates such as Elizabeth Crowley, who is
also vying for the seat, win the Aug 23 primary. Other candidates in the
primary include Mike Corbett and Francoise Olivas. All five candidates
have a following.
The tension heated up online on July 10, when Gonzalez took to
Twitter and accused Konst of racism for “twice sarcastically saying to
my face Welcome to Astoria.”
Gonzalez, who was raised in Elmhurst and is the child of Puerto Rican
and Colombian parents, viewed this as a “dog whistle,” implying that
she was an outsider and was without community support.
Konst, who says she has lived in Astoria since 2015 but hails from
Arizona, said that she was baffled by Gonzalez’ tweets saying that she
welcomed Gonzalez to Astoria on two occasions–once at a candidate forum
held in the Astoria and another time at a polling site in Astoria on
election day.
She said that on both occasions she didn’t speak with any ill-will
and noted that she has welcomed other candidates to the neighborhood
without incident.
Konst, of Greek heritage, said that when candidate forums have been
held in other parts of the district candidates welcomed her there.
“This was her literally just creating controversy right before the
filing so she could raise money,” Konst said. “It was personally
offensive, and it was also grotesque.”