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J’can drops out of Republican primary

Published:Thursday | May 28, 2020 | 12:00 AMLester Hinds/Gleaner Writer

Scherie Murray, the Jamaican conservative who was seeking the Republican Party's nomination to run against Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a New York Congressional District, withdrew from the primary race on Monday, complaining that she was hampered by coronavirus restrictions.

The primary will be held on June 23.

In a statement announcing her withdrawal on Monday, Murray cited the measures put in place by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as stifling her campaign.

"Governor Cuomo's undemocratic executive orders overthrew New York's electoral process. The right to access the ballot, freedom of association as a member of a political party, the exchange of ideas and free speech are so sacred that the founding fathers made it the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States," Murray said.

"As long as the avowed socialists are legislators, you can rest assured I will use my platform to advocate for the kitchen-table issues of the toughest, hardest-working New Yorkers," she added.

She insisted that her withdrawal did not signal the end of her political career.

Murray was one of five people seeking to win the Republican Primary contest to take on Ocasio-Cortez in the November general election, providing that Ocasio-Cortez wins the Democratic primary. There are a number of Democrats challenging her for the right to contest the November general elections.

Murray was born in Jamaica but moved to the United States at age nine and resided in southeast Queens with her parents. She attended Intermediate School 192 in Queens and later, City University, where she obtained a bachelor?s degree in broadcast journalism.

She started her own business but later gave it up to become a full-time mom.

This was not Murray?s first foray in US politics. In 2009, she ran for the 31st State Assembly seat but lost.