State Assembly Member - District 51
Marcela Mitaynes
Has represented Assembly District 51 (Red Hook, Sunset Park and northern Bay Ridge) since 2021, after defeating 26-year incumbent Felix Ortiz in the 2020 Democratic primary, and won re-election in 2024 with 76.8% of the vote.
Issues Marcela is raising
Housing and tenant protections
Calls housing a human right and wants to fight evictions, stop displacement of communities of color, fully fund NYCHA public housing and create affordable housing. Sponsors a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, and sponsored a bill limiting owner move-in lease non-renewals for tenants who predate the owner's purchase.
Climate, energy and pollution
Supports a Green New Deal for New York that would make the Sunset Park waterfront a center of green jobs, and rejects Industry City's rezoning proposal. Sponsors a bill requiring an indirect source review for heavy distribution warehouses and a study of zero-emissions zones, and voted for laws creating a climate change adaptation fund and requiring electric vehicle charging in certain new construction.
Taxes and the state budget
Wants to significantly raise taxes on the top 1%, luxury housing and Wall Street transactions to fund universal health care, a housing guarantee and free college. Wants big money out of politics and an end to dealmaking by "3 people in a room." Voted against 2024 and 2026 state budget bills.
Immigration enforcement and legal help
Supports making New York ICE-free and guaranteeing legal representation for immigrants in immigration court.
Health care access and medical aid in dying
Holds that all New Yorkers deserve access to health care. Co-sponsored and voted for the Medical Aid in Dying Act, which passed the Assembly 81-67 and became law in February 2026, and voted for a 2026 law on procedures to protect legally protected health activities.
Background
Based in Sunset Park
She came to New York from Peru as a child, grew up in Sunset Park, and worked with the community group Neighbors Helping Neighbors after being evicted from her rent-stabilized apartment of 30 years.
- Member of the New York State Assembly for District 51 since 2021; won the June 23, 2020 Democratic primary over incumbent Felix Ortiz with 34.9% of the vote and the Nov. 3, 2020 general election with 99%
- Re-elected in 2022 with 78.5% of the vote and on Nov. 5, 2024 with 76.8% (22,007 votes)
- Chair of the Assembly Subcommittee on Regulated Mortgage Lenders; member of the Assembly committees on Banks, Children and Families, Education, Judiciary and Transportation
- Member of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, the Legislative Women's Caucus, the Asian Pacific American Task Force, the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force, the Task Force on New Americans and the Task Force on Women's Issues
- Member of Community Board 7 for 10 years; former PTA president at P.S. 169 in Sunset Park, the elementary school she attended
- Her Assembly biography says she worked with Neighbors Helping Neighbors and tenants across the state to support passage of the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act
- Advanced to the general election after the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary was canceled
Support
New York Working Families Party
Also on your ballot on the Working Families Party line
Money
$10K
raised
Top donors: 1199 SEIU - NYS Political Action Fund, NYSUT Political Action Comm
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