General Election
U.S. House · New York - 14
Housing costs, immigration enforcement and health care divide the NY-14 race
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who first won the seat in 2018, took the June 23 Democratic primary with 86.9% and is also on the Working Families line. Republican Diamant Hysenaj, a construction business owner also on the Conservative line, faces her in a district Kamala Harris carried with 64.9% in 2024.
Issues
5 issues · 2 candidates · every claim sourced
Housing costs and public housing
Central to the raceCongress decides how much federal money goes to repairing public housing and to programs that build or subsidize affordable homes; the question is how large that federal role should be and what it should pay for.
Diamant Hysenaj
Campaigns for affordable rent and quality homes, pointing to his work as a construction business owner; says he has created jobs in the district and improved living conditions for everyday New Yorkers.
Diamant Hysenaj for Congress — Diamant's Plan for NY-14 ↗
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In coverageCalls for permanently repealing the Faircloth Amendment so cities can expand public housing, and for $70 billion to repair public housing plus $10 billion to remove lead from it. Wants to curb rent increases by landlords who own five or more properties, and says her Green New Deal for Public Housing Act would make public housing zero-carbon.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Sponsors the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act (H.R. 10063), introduced Aug. 6, 2026 and referred to the House Financial Services Committee that day. Introduced the Homes Act of 2024 (H.R. 9662) on Sept. 18, 2024; it was referred to the Financial Services Committee the same day and drew 43 cosponsors.
Sponsor of H.R. 10063 and H.R. 9662 · 2024-09-18 to 2026-08-06 · H.R. 10063 referred to the House Financial Services Committee on Aug. 6, 2026; H.R. 9662 referred to the House Financial Services Committee on Sept. 18, 2024
Immigration enforcement and citizenship
Central to the raceCongress writes immigration law and decides how much money goes to enforcement agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the question is how that law should be enforced and how the path to citizenship should work.
Diamant Hysenaj
Wants an immigration system with secure borders, faster citizenship for immigrants who follow the law, and support for local neighborhoods, drawing on his own experience as an immigrant.
Diamant Hysenaj for Congress — Diamant's Plan for NY-14 ↗Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In coverageSupports abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Voted against the Laken Riley Act in 2025 and the Secure America Act in 2026, both of which became law, and sponsors the 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Voted no on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), which passed the House 263-156 on Jan. 22, 2025 and became Public Law 119-1. Voted no on the Secure America Act (S. 2), which passed the House 214-212 on June 9, 2026 and became Public Law 119-98. Introduced the 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act (H.R. 5333) on Sept. 11, 2025; it was referred to the House Judiciary Committee that day.
Voted no on S. 5 (House roll call 23, 2025) and S. 2 (House roll call 214, 2026); sponsor of H.R. 5333 · 2025-01-22 to 2026-06-09 · S. 5 became Public Law 119-1; S. 2 became Public Law 119-98; H.R. 5333 referred to the House Judiciary Committee on Sept. 11, 2025
Health care costs and coverage
Central to the raceCongress sets the rules and money for Medicare and Medicaid, including what they cover; the question is whether to lower health costs chiefly by cutting waste and fraud or by expanding what public programs pay for.
Diamant Hysenaj
Wants to lower health care costs by eliminating waste and fraud.
Diamant Hysenaj for Congress — Diamant's Plan for NY-14 ↗Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In coverageSupports expanding Medicaid to cover home health care so seniors can age at home. Sponsors the Transparency in Medicare Advantage Steering Act, which a House subcommittee advanced in June 2026.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Introduced the Transparency in Medicare Advantage Steering Act (H.R. 9395) on June 23, 2026; a House subcommittee forwarded it to the full committee by voice vote on June 25, 2026.
Sponsor of H.R. 9395 · 2026-06-23 to 2026-06-25 · Forwarded by subcommittee to the full committee by voice vote on June 25, 2026
Jobs, taxes and household costs
Central to the raceCongress sets federal taxes, labor law and rules for consumer lending such as credit card interest and bank overdraft fees; the question is whether to ease costs mainly through lower taxes or through new limits on lenders and a larger federal role in jobs and wages.
Diamant Hysenaj
Supports lowering taxes. Says Queens lost more than 25,000 jobs while Rep. Ocasio-Cortez raised more than $83 million for her political operation.
Diamant Hysenaj for Congress — Home ↗Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In coverageEndorses a federal jobs guarantee that would pay a living wage with health care and leave benefits, and supports repealing the Taft-Hartley Act. Sponsors a bill to cap credit card interest rates at 10% until 2031, and voted against overturning a consumer-bureau rule on overdraft lending by very large financial institutions.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Introduced the 10 Percent Credit Card Interest Rate Cap Act (H.R. 1944) on March 6, 2025, which would cap credit card interest rates at 10% until Jan. 1, 2031; it was referred to the House Financial Services Committee that day. Voted no on S.J.Res. 18, disapproving a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule on overdraft lending by very large financial institutions; it passed the House 217-211 on April 9, 2025 and became Public Law 119-10.
Sponsor of H.R. 1944; voted no on S.J.Res. 18 (House roll call 96, 2025) · 2025-03-06 to 2025-04-09 · H.R. 1944 referred to the House Financial Services Committee on March 6, 2025; S.J.Res. 18 passed the House 217-211 on April 9, 2025 and became Public Law 119-10
Public safety and policing
Also in playMost policing is run by cities and states, but Congress writes federal criminal and civil law and can overturn laws passed by the District of Columbia Council; the question is how far federal law should go in changing policing, sentencing and remedies for victims.
Diamant Hysenaj
Campaigns for safe streets and improved public safety.
Diamant Hysenaj for Congress — Home ↗Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In coverageSupports ending qualified immunity for police officers and opposes criminalizing sex work. Voted against overturning the District of Columbia's revised criminal code, and sponsors the DEFIANCE Act, which would create a federal civil action over intimate digital forgeries made without consent.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Voted no on H.J.Res. 26, disapproving the District of Columbia Council's approval of the Revised Criminal Code Act; it passed the House 250-173 on Feb. 9, 2023 and became Public Law 118-1. Introduced the DEFIANCE Act of 2025 (H.R. 3562) on May 21, 2025, with 65 cosponsors; it was referred to the House Judiciary Committee that day.
Voted no on H.J.Res. 26 (House roll call 119, 2023); sponsor of H.R. 3562 · 2023-02-09 to 2025-05-21 · H.J.Res. 26 became Public Law 118-1; H.R. 3562 referred to the House Judiciary Committee on May 21, 2025