Come June, the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has another prime opportunity to add one of their own to the state senate.

Kristen Gonzalez, a twenty-six-year-old tech worker, recently announced her bid for a newly created senate district spanning parts of Brooklyn and Queens. She is expected to get the full support of DSA, joining a slate that already includes several candidates running for the state assembly in the five boroughs in the suburbs. Electing Gonzalez would be pivotal for the democratic socialists, who already have two state senators in Julia Salazar and Jabari Brisport but are looking to grow their clout in Albany, where most important policymaking gets done.

Gonzalez is vowing to fight for DSA’s top legislative priorities, especially the good cause eviction bill that would make it much more difficult for landlords to evict tenants. She backs a move toward the public ownership of the local energy system. Gonzalez would also join other DSA members in trying to pass the long-stalled New York Health Act, which would create statewide single-payer health care.