The Queens Democratic Party has formally nominated democratic socialist Diana Moreno as the party’s nominee in a special election sprint to succeed Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the 36th Assembly District next month.
Moreno, one of four candidates running to replace Mamdani in western Queens, will now appear on the Democratic Party line for the special election, which Gov. Kathy Hochul has set for Feb. 3.
An Ecuadorian-born organizer and a member of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Moreno, one of three DSA members running for Mamdani’s seat, is the clear frontrunner to succeed the mayor in New York’s 36th Assembly District. Since launching her campaign in October, she has also been endorsed by the DSA and Mamdani himself.
Democratic district leaders for Assembly District 36 met with Queens County Democratic Party Chair Gregory Meeks Monday morning to officially designate Mereno as the party’s nominee for February’s special election, which Moreno described as the “honor of a lifetime.”
“Thank you to our local Democratic District Leaders and Congressmember Gregory Meeks for entrusting me with the immense responsibility of succeeding Mayor Zohran Mamdani and representing Astoria and Long Island City in the state legislature,” Moreno said in a statement welcoming the nomination.
Meeks said the Queens Democratic Party was “putting forward a leader” who understands the affordability crisis facing New York City.
“Today’s nomination reflects the strength and depth of leadership in the 36th Assembly district,” Meeks said. “By working alongside Mayor Mamdani in nominating Diana Moreno, we are putting forward a leader who understands the urgency of making New York more affordable for working families and is ready to deliver results.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with the Mayor and partners at every level of government to meet this moment and ensure the 36th Assembly District continues moving forward.”
DSA candidate makes breakthrough with Queens Dem chair
Meeks’ support represents a major victory for both Mamdani and the DSA.
The Queens Democratic Chair notably declined to endorse Mamdani even after he won the Democratic mayoral primary last June, but his support for a DSA candidate in the upcoming special election represents a potential shift in New York City politics following Mamdani’s election last November.
Mamdani’s former Assembly District is also a DSA stronghold represented by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Congress and Council Member Tiffany Cabán in the City Council.
The Queens Democratic Party, which typically endorses more moderate candidates, had little choice but to nominate Moreno or face the potential humiliation of losing the special election to Moreno as a third-party candidate.
On Saturday, shortly before securing the Democratic nomination, Moreno participated in a District 36 candidate forum alongside fellow candidates Rana Abdelhamid, Mary Jobaida and Shivani Dhir at Astoria’s Powhatan and Pocahontas Democratic Club.
Antonio Alfonso and Kimberly Mullarkey-Perez, two Democratic District Leaders in AD 36 who moderated Saturday’s forum, announced their support for Moreno in statements issued Monday morning.
Alfonso said he was inspired by all candidates who participated in Saturday’s forum and praised Moreno for promising “real progress.”
“Diana is prepared to fight for affordability for New Yorkers and to work constructively with our Mayor and our partners in governmentto deliver real progress for our community,” Alfonso said in a statement.
Mullarkey-Perez, meanwhile, described Moreno’s nomination as an opportunity to “build bridges” for all D36 constituents.
“I’m looking forward to working with Diana Moreno for a safer and more affordable district. While the decision wasn’t easy due to all the outstanding candidates. I thank them for all the hard work they have and will continue to do for our community,” Mullarkey-Perez said.
Mamdani had previously endorsed Moreno at an event in Astoria shortly before Christmas.
In a statement issued on Monday, the mayor described Moreno as a leader who will “champion those who are forgotten in the halls of power.”
“I’m so proud of all that we achieved while I served the people of AD-36 and 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,” Mamdani said in a statement.
There is no primary election for the upcoming special election, with Moreno now set to appear on the Democratic Party line in the election.
Abdelhamid, Jobaida, and Dhir must now appeal to a third-party organization such as the Working Families Party if they are to appear on the ballot next month. WFP told the Queens Daily Eagle that it will nominate a candidate ahead of the Jan. 9 ballot deadline.
But with the support of Mamdani, the DSA and the Queens Democratic Party behind her, Moreno is now in an incredibly strong position to win the upcoming special election even if another candidate appears on the ballot.
The Feb. 3 special election winner will earn the right to hold Mamdani’s old Assembly seat through the rest of the 2026 calendar year. The June Democratic primary will decide who will have the party’s backing for the Assembly seat in the 2026 general election.
