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Endorses Lee
The race
One seat in the New York State Assembly is at stake in New York's Assembly District 36 (Part of Queens), for a two-year term. The incumbent, Diana Moreno (Democratic), is seeking re-election. The confirmed general-election roster, from the New York State Board of Elections' amended certification for the November 3, 2026 general election (dated October 7, 2026), is: Diana C. Moreno (Democratic/Working Families); Edward Lee (Republican).
New York votes by fusion: a candidate certified on more than one ballot line is one candidate, and votes on every line count toward the same total. Every line the Board of Elections certified is printed above, exactly as the roster carries it.
The candidates, claim by claim
Edward Lee (Republican), nominee. Edward Lee appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (New York State Board of Elections amended certification, October 7, 2026).
Pros: The Republican nominee in a race against a party-line Democrat; aligned with the values this publication exists to advance. Cons: No proven flaw meeting this publication's standard was located in the compiled record; where the nominee has not previously served, the record is thin by definition — that is unproven, not a demerit. The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record.
Diana C. Moreno (Democratic/Working Families), incumbent. Diana C. Moreno appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (New York State Board of Elections amended certification, October 7, 2026).
Pros: A sitting incumbent whose constituents know the record. Cons: Documented membership in the Democratic Socialists of America: this candidate sits in the New York State Socialists in Office bloc, whose members Wikipedia — citing City & State NY and the bloc's own account — describes as legislators who are members of, and endorsed by, the DSA. That is a personal socialist program, not ordinary party-line voting. The flaw, plainly: Extremist tier under this publication's personal-program test — (a) documented DSA membership. A socialist program is the opposite of this publication's values (Constitution, capitalism and the free market, Christianity, freedom), and no Manchin-test break can cure a program that is itself the disqualifier.
OUR CALL
We endorse Edward Lee (R) — as unproven, and on watch — under the Extremist Rule. Diana C. Moreno is classified extremist-tier on documented evidence: membership in the New York State Socialists in Office bloc, whose members are members of, and endorsed by, the Democratic Socialists of America (Wikipedia, citing City & State NY and the bloc's own account) — test (a), documented DSA membership, of this publication's personal-program standard. When one option is an extremist, we endorse the other, noting their flaws: no proven flaw was located in Edward Lee's compiled record, and the nominee has not previously served in this office, so the endorsement carries the unproven form.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources
- New York State Board of Elections, Amended Certification for the November 3, 2026 General Election (dated October 7, 2026) — certified general-election roster, all fusion ballot lines, district counties — https://elections.ny.gov/certification-november-3-2026-general-election
- Wikipedia, "206th New York State Legislature" — Senate and Assembly member tables (sourcing NYSenate.gov and the New York State Assembly member directory): incumbent, incumbent party, and prior-service status — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/206th_New_York_State_Legislature
- Wikipedia, "New York State Socialists in Office" — the bloc's members are legislators who are members of, and endorsed by, the Democratic Socialists of America (citing City & State NY, July 5, 2022, and the bloc's own account) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Socialists_in_Office
- Record gaps: no district-level legislative voting records, campaign-finance figures, or biographies beyond the offices and facts printed above were verified for the nominees in this district at this sourcing depth; no district-level competitiveness rating for this district was published in the sources consulted
- Standing check: no pedophile-association material meeting the proven standard (knowing association with or defense of a convicted pedophile) was located for any candidate on this ballot
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.
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