Rana Abdelhamid, a group organizer and Democratic Socialists of America member, is formally kicking off a marketing campaign for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s state Meeting seat, pitting her in opposition to a fellow DSA adherent who has already locked within the leftist group’s endorsement within the race.
“It’s home to my community, which is Little Egypt, that is the community that raised me, and one thing that is really motivating me to run is that I’m really tired to see that people are not able to stay here,” Abdelhamid mentioned, vowing she would if elected struggle to develop common little one look after metropolis residents and enact different packages geared toward driving down the price of dwelling for New Yorkers.
“I want to create an Astoria and Long Island City that people can stay in.”
In keeping with her workforce, Abdelhamid is predicted to formally launch her marketing campaign Tuesday with a video announcement in addition to a press convention in Astoria. Having earlier this month opened an exploratory marketing campaign account, Abdelhamid has raised about $140,000 thus far, a portion of it being cash left over from her failed 2022 congressional marketing campaign, her workforce mentioned.
Abdelhamid’s entry into the race for the Astoria-based Meeting seat might create an ungainly dynamic for Mamdani, a DSA member who’s because the district’s outgoing incumbent anticipated to chime in on the competition.
Diana Moreno, a former co-chair of the DSA’s Queens department, is already operating for Mamdani’s seat and anticipated to obtain the DSA’s formal endorsement after its Electoral Working Group lately voted overwhelmingly to provide her the nod.
New York Metropolis Mayor-elect speaks throughout a press convention on Nov. 20, 2025 in Manhattan. (Picture by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures)
A lifelong resident of Astoria who’s buddies with Mamdani, Abdelhamid mentioned she’s operating for the seat it doesn’t matter what. She mentioned she at one level “pursued” DSA’s endorsement, however respects that the group had different “priorities” in backing Moreno.
A spokeswoman for Mamdani, who will formally vacate his Meeting seat in some unspecified time in the future earlier than he’s sworn in as mayor on Jan. 1, didn’t return a request for remark Monday.
“We’re confident that the people of Assembly District 36, an overwhelmingly 81% of whom voted for Mayor-elect Mamdani in the Democratic primary, will choose to continue his legacy of democratic socialism in the state Assembly so we can deliver on his affordability agenda,” mentioned Moreno.
The thirty sixth Meeting District holds particular significance for Mamdani, who was first elected to the seat in 2020.
As mayor, he would be the DSA’s most high-profile elected official, and his workforce has already waded into some legislative races to exert affect.
Final week, Mamdani additionally efficiently satisfied the DSA to not endorse Metropolis Councilman Chi Ossé’s 2026 marketing campaign in opposition to Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, a centrist Democrat who’s the U.S. Home minority chief.
