Tiffany Cabán Named Winner In Astoria's District 22 Council Race

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Tiffany Cabán will become the next City Council Member representing Astoria, marking her first successful bid at an elected position in the borough, according to The New York Times.

With roughly 62 percents of precincts reporting, Cabán has about 65 percent fo the vote, cementing her win against Republican Felicia Kalan and Green party candidate Edwin DeJesus, according to NY1.

In a statement sent out on Tuesday night, Cabán wrote "our victory tonight proves that when we organize, we win." She expressed gratitude for her team and neighbors, and spoke about the work she plans to take on in the district.

"We’ll continue throwing down with our organizing partners, and I’ll keep working with my incoming colleagues – some of the dopest BIPOC organizers I know – to build up our city systems that support the health and safety of everyone. I can’t wait to keep working together on behalf of District 22," she wrote.

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Cabán will take office in Dec., a month before other newly minted officials begin work, since the Astoria Council seat has been vacant for the past nine months, following City Council Member Costa Constantinides' resignation in April. Her term, however, will be two years instead of four, because of a city mandate to allow for redistricting after the census.

This position marks Cabán's first successful bid at an elected position in the borough — in 2019 the public defender and national political organizer narrowly lost the Queens District Attorney race.

Cabán told Patch that the loss actually catalyzed her City Council campaign, and uniquely qualify her for the position. She said that her goal to "create the safest and healthiest communities possible, especially for the most vulnerable of us" drives "every single thing that I do;" from being a public defender, to running for City Council.

Cabán's nomination is also part of a larger effort to elect left-leaning Democrats to the city's local government, specifically including socialist candidates.

With many eyeing Astoria as the epicenter of the borough's — and the city's — increasingly ascendent left, the District 22 primary race attracted some major endorsements from progressive leaders and organizations — most of which were in support of Cabán, amid a crowded field of five other Democrats.

The race for City Council isn't the only one that Astorians voted on this Election Day: locals also weighed in on the race to replace Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Queens Borough President race, and five ballot measures.

Find out more about these races, and all the ones that Patch is following, here.