State Assembly Member - District 36
Diana C. Moreno
Assembly member for District 36 since Feb. 4, 2026, after winning a special election to succeed Zohran Mamdani.
Where they stand
Taxes, spending and the cost of living
Wants to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund free child care for every New Yorker from six weeks to five years old. Says her first bill as an Assembly member would give New York City the ability to raise taxes on its wealthiest corporations to secure the funding working New Yorkers need.
Housing and tenants
Supports stronger tenant protections and defending rent stabilization, and wants to create a Social Housing Development Authority to build and preserve affordable housing with union labor.
Israel and state policy
Sponsors legislation that would prohibit New York not-for-profit corporations from engaging in unauthorized support of Israeli settlement activity.
Issues Diana is raising
Immigration enforcement
Lists protecting immigrant communities among her top three priorities and supports passing the New York For All Act to end New York State's cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and better protect immigrant families.
Background
Based in Astoria
Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, she immigrated to the United States at 11 and worked as a labor and immigrant-rights organizer with Make the Road New York, New Immigrant Community Empowerment and the New York State Nurses Association.
- Member of the New York State Assembly for District 36 since Feb. 4, 2026
- Won the Feb. 3, 2026 special election for the seat with 74.1% of the vote (6,472 votes), defeating Rana Abdelhamid and Mary Jobaida
- Nominated by the Queens Democratic Party for the special election on Jan. 5, 2026
- Won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary with 78.3% of the vote over Mary Jobaida and Kevin Coenen; advanced on the Working Families Party line after that party's June 23 primary was canceled
- Assembly committees: Aging; Real Property Taxation; Small Business; Social Services
- Member of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, the Legislative Women's Caucus and the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force
- Former deputy director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE), where she organized undocumented workers in Queens against wage theft and advocated for workplace safety legislation for construction workers
- Former communications director of the New York State Nurses Association, supporting union nurses and health care workers
- Organized immigrant workers as an intern for Make the Road New York
- Member of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America; former co-chair of its Queens branch
- Started free English classes at Astoria Food Pantry and helped organize against a proposed NRG gas power plant in Astoria
- Her Assembly biography says she took part in civil disobedience protesting what it calls the genocide in Gaza and blocking the entrance for ICE vehicles at 26 Federal Plaza
- Associate degree from Santa Fe College; bachelor's degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of Florida
- Lives in Astoria with her partner and their son
Support
Zohran Mamdani
“I can’t imagine anyone more capable of carrying our movement forward than Diana, who has fought tirelessly for union workers, immigrant communities, and our neighbors across this district. Diana has my full support.”
— Zohran Mamdani
New York City Democratic Socialists of America
New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America
UAW Region 9A
Labor union
1199SEIU
Labor union
New York State United Teachers (NYSUT)
Labor union
Money
$113K
raised
Mostly individuals and partnerships
Others running for State Assembly Member - District 36