Aber Kawas, a candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ally Jamaal Bowman, has won the Democratic nomination for a New York State Senate seat in western Queens. The victory came Tuesday night in a primary race where Kawas faced off against Assemblyman Steven Raga.
With 95% of precincts reporting, Kawas secured 60% of the vote. She will now run to represent the district previously held by outgoing State Senator Mike Gianaris, a powerful figure in Albany who did not publicly endorse a successor in this race.
Kawas, who describes herself as a "Muslim civil rights advocate," has drawn attention for past statements. In one instance, she referred to the September 11th terror attacks as an event that "a couple people did." She has also been listed as a speaker for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an organization that has faced accusations of links to Hamas.
Kawas’s campaign highlighted her activism and policy positions. Supporters have pointed to her involvement with organizations like NYC-DSA, as evidenced by campaign rally imagery. One image from a rally showed Kawas and supporters holding signs, including one that read "I'm canvassing to FREE PALESTINE."[IMAGE2]
During the primary campaign, Kawas’s affiliation with DSA and endorsements from figures like Bowman positioned her as a progressive voice in the race. The seat represents a western Queens-based state Senate district.