Endorsed by Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC

Ayala's leadership experience and abundance leanings position her strongly against a lackluster incumbent

A fourth challenger, Diana Ayala, is the strongest. Ayala did not go through our questionnaire and interview process, but her record in the City Council—where she represented East Harlem and the South Bronx for eight years, the last four as Deputy Speaker—makes her the most viable abundance-aligned candidate in this race by a significant margin.

On the question of housing supply, Ayala's record is strong. She voted yes on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity in December 2024 and made powerful floor remarks drawing from her experience living in shelters and in NYCHA.

On transit and public space, Ayala’s record is mixed. She has been one of East Harlem's outspoken voices for the Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 extension to 125th Street, and she partnered with DOT to bring Summer Streets to East Harlem for the first time in 2022. On the other hand, she was one of the few progressive voices in support of Governor Hochul’s June 2024 congestion pricing pause. We disagree with this call, and we'd want to push her toward clearer pro-transit positions in Albany, where decisions about MTA funding, bus priority, and street space directly affect what gets built.

Ayala is the pro-abundance choice in Assembly District 68, and her professional and personal experiences will be important assets in an emerging abundance cohort in the legislature.

She fully supported Citizens Union's reform agenda and offered personal and passionate context for her priorities, particularly around mental health, the opioid crisis, and NYCHA conditions. She understands how government works and how bills are moved. She will be the most effective advocate for her district, and we prefer her in the Democratic primary.