Mike Corbett (pictured) announced earlier this month that he is running to represent the 59th Senate District. He has been endorsed by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (Photo: courtesy of Corbett)
June 13, 2022 By Christian Murray
The list of candidates vying to represent the newly formed 59th Senate District continues to get longer with a former staff member for Costa Constantinides throwing his hat in the ring.
Mike Corbett, a Murray Hill resident who worked for the former Astoria council member from 2015 to 2021, announced earlier this month that he is running for the seat—which covers Astoria, Long Island City, Greenpoint, Williamsburg and parts of Manhattan such as Stuy Town, Murray Hill, Gramercy, Midtown and Tudor City.
Corbett’s announcement comes with the high-profile endorsement of Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who currently represents western Queens, northern Brooklyn, and the East Side of Manhattan in congress.
“Mike Corbett is unquestionably the best choice to represent the new Senate District 59,” Maloney said in a statement. “As a lifelong East Side resident who worked across the river for more than five years, there is no one who better understands the needs of the diverse community in this district. I am thrilled to support Mike.”
Corbett, 40, has a long history with the Democratic party and with unions.
He started his career as a commercial mover and was a member with Teamsters Local 814, where he was elected to its executive board. He also joined the Young Democrats of America around 2010 and held executive positions with the organization on the local, state and national level.
In 2018, he was appointed as a vice chair of the New York State Democratic Party, a position he still holds.
Corbett joined Constantinides’ office in 2015 as director of special events. He organized events and rallies in support of public power, the Climate Mobilization Act and Renewable Rikers. Over the 5 1/2 years he worked for Constantinides he became an advisor on legislative, budgetary and labor issues.
Senate District 59 includes Astoria, Long Island City, Greenpoint, Williamsburg and parts of Manhattan (redistrictingandyou)
He has since gone on to work as an aide to Council Members Eric Dinowitz and Marjorie Velazquez, both of whom represent districts in the Bronx.
“The response we’ve seen over the last 10 days shows that residents from Stuy Town to the Astoria Houses and from Murray Hill to Greenpoint want a candidate who understands their needs,” Corbett said in a statement.
“I’ve dedicated my life to serving the wonderful, diverse communities of this district. Together, we will fight for environmental justice, create true affordable housing, build resilient infrastructure that prioritizes a holistic transit network, and protect workers’ rights.”
Corbett joins a race with multiple candidates, including Elizabeth Crowley, Kristen Gonzalez, Françoise Olivas, Nomiki Konst and Josh Bowen.
