As Zohran Mamdani eyes a run for New York City mayor, attention is turning to his current State Assembly seat in Queens’ District 36. With Mamdani likely to vacate the seat, Mary Jobaida has officially filed to take his place and is already campaigning across Astoria and Long Island City.

Jobaida positions herself as the progressive torchbearer for the district, advocating for policies like universal child care and tuition-free City and State universities, and expanding tenant protections—core topics for working-class and immigrant communities in Queens. Her campaign builds on the momentum and diverse voter base that backed Mamdani in the mayoral primary.

Though Mamdani has yet to formally step down, his mayoral campaign has garnered broad support, leaving Jobaida as the only registered candidate so far. If Mamdani does vacate the seat, a special election will follow, giving local Democratic Party leaders a role in selecting his successor.

Jobaida, around 45, was born in a rural village in Bangladesh and moved to the U.S. shortly after 9/11. After starting at community college, she earned a scholarship to NYU. She began political organizing with Obama’s 2007 campaign, later worked on Bill Thompson’s mayoral run, taught kindergarten, and served in Jessica Ramos’ office handling constituent services.

Source: Politico