Hunts Point native Felipe Garcia challenging AOC in June primary Bronx Times

"Felipe Garcia, a Hunts Point native and first-time political candidate, is challenging incumbent Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the NY-14 Democratic primary on June 23, offering an alternative to what he called woke and socialist politics. Garcia, who comes from a large Puerto Rican and Dominican Catholic family, told the Bronx Times he sees victory as achievable against AOC and fellow primary candidate Marty Dolan, despite running a tiny campaign with almost no staff and just a few thousand dollars in the bank."

"With Ocasio-Cortez surrounded by speculation about a run for U.S. Senate or even the presidency, now is the perfect time to mount a challenge, Garcia said. I'm planning on winning by a landslide, he said, adding that he feels extremely confident but humble at the same time about his prospects. Garcia is a former executive at Mount Sinai, where he oversaw 12 million square feet of hospital space as director of energy management and engineering."

"But he started as a hospital security officer, a success story he said he heavily leans on in his campaign. I don't have any friends in politics, Garcia said. I'm not a politician, I'm an engineer. He attended Cardinal Hayes, City College and Baruch College, where he received a master's degree in healthcare administration in 2020."

"The idea to run for office came shortly after, when he attended a networking event in 2021 and talked with someone who seemed shocked that anyone could succeed in the Bronx. The person started talking bad about the Bronx, saying that few people could make it out and adding, Good thing that you left,' Garcia said. That was the moment I said, who the hell is representing us? Who's representing us that the Bronx still has a bad reputation?"

Felipe Garcia, a Hunts Point native and first-time political candidate, is running against incumbent Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the NY-14 Democratic primary on June 23. He positions his campaign as an alternative to “woke” and socialist politics. Garcia says victory is achievable even with a tiny campaign, almost no staff, and only a few thousand dollars in the bank. He argues poor leadership and bad politics have left Bronx and Queens residents ready for a fresh voice in Congress. Garcia previously worked at Mount Sinai as director of energy management and engineering, overseeing large hospital space, and he describes his rise from hospital security officer as central to his campaign message.

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