Castronuova is relentless, ready for a fight

She’s a celebrity fitness personality. A journalist. A championship boxer no stranger to a fight.

But what Cara Castronuova really wants, for the first time, is to claim victory for the very first time, throwing her hat in the political ring against an incumbent heavyweight in hopes of winning a seat on the Assembly.

Although she describes herself as a lifelong Democrat, the 42-year-old is instead trying to pave her way to Albany as a Republican. Her recent party shift came in the wake of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, moving to denounce Cuomo’s supposedly draconian restrictions that led to the forced closure of businesses.

To that end, Castronuova spearheaded the “New York Liberate” movement, advocating for those who were “injured” by vaccination and being mandated to wear face masks.

But it was Cuomo’s “one-man rulership” approach to the crisis that gave Castronuova the most pause. His actions went largely unchallenged by Democrats — a sign the state needed outside candidates willing to push for better checks and balances in the legislature to prevent one-party domination. 

Since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, Castronuova says the pandemic recovery has been tough for families, with many falling behind and in need of relief. On her list of priorities is a plan to chip away at wasteful spending by eliminating frivolous programs and sounding off on extraneous budget items.

“Nobody reads the bills,” Castronuova told reporters during a recent Herald Roundtable event. “I will comb through the budget, be a whistleblower, and alert the public about where funds are going.”

Castronuova is already sounding off on legislative agendas like the latest push by lawmakers in Albany to pilot congestion pricing in Manhattan through a tolling program aimed at curbing traffic. Yet it’s one that, if realized, could force Long Island drivers going to the city to pay upward of $20, she said.

When it comes to safety, Castronuova believes that while the state needs to revamp its criminal justice system, the laws have to course-correct by scrapping cashless bail reform and instead doubling down on expanded mental health support in prisons. She also wants to provide programs that help prisoners re-enter society and stave off rates of recidivism.

Highlighting her experience hosting programs for at-risk youth, Castronuova hopes to push for the completion of long-promised projects such as a community center in Elmont, which, she says, has failed to break ground under the current Assemblywoman.

Castronuova also hopes to revive and re-energize existing community programs — especially those catered toward vulnerable populations like the elderly she says have fallen by the wayside under current leadership.

“I believe in programs for the community, outreach to the youth, and for the elderly,” said Castranuova, having herself built the roots of her boxing career in a Hempstead community program.

While she caught national attention in her role to organize the “Justice for J6” rally last year at the U.S. Capitol calling for the alleged release of hundreds of individuals placed under custody for storming the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, she insisted her platform is centered about quality of life and community building.

“We need some new blood and people that have a lot of energy and that are willing to fight,” she said. “I’m relentless.”

Have an opinion on Castronuova? Please send an email to jlasso@liherald.com.