By Molly Claire Goddard
3:15am PDT, Jul 1, 2025
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may have competition for her congressional seat.
Real estate developer and Albanian immigrant
Diamant Hysenaj claims he will be running for the Republican nomination in the 14th Congressional District of New York — the position the left-wing politician has held since 2018.
Keep reading to learn why Hysenaj thinks he should be elected to Congress instead of Ocasio-Cortez…MORE:
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According to Diamant Hysenaj, enduring hardship and witnessing war in his native Kosovo will help him serve the people of New York in Washington, D.C., better than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
"I came here as a young kid and had to make my way in a tough neighborhood in The Bronx. My life could have gone another direction, but I worked hard, tried to fit in as best I could as an outsider and achieved the American Dream: a successful business, a beautiful family and a calling to serve," the 42-year-old explained in an
interview.
"I am running for Congress to make our streets safer, reform a broken immigration system and improve the decaying infrastructure in our district. Meanwhile, AOC is flying on private jets to preach socialism everywhere else, while the people of the 14th District suffer," he claimed. "I am fighting for a country where every voice matters, not just the privileged elite. With the help of the great people of the 14th district, over 50% of whom are immigrants just like me."
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As Donald Trump continues to crack down on immigration, Diamant Hysenaj believes his story will resonate with the residents of New York who have fought to build better lives for themselves in the United States.
"Imagine a story that runs through nearly half of NY-14 — immigrants, dreamers like me," the entrepreneur said. "It begins on a dusty farm in Kosovo, 1982. Thirty-six of us — cousins, aunts, uncles — crammed into three weathered houses, alive with laughter and my nana's cooking. My parents, hands rough from factory shifts in the old Yugoslav regime, carved out a life that felt golden to me. I was a kid then, chasing chickens, oblivious to the war creeping closer — shielded by love, by family, by a world they kept steady just for us. That was my beginning."
"Then, 1991. Fade to black. A dictator's grip tightens and we're gone — my parents, my sister, me, a suitcase of hope — landing in The Bronx. The streets hit hard: gangs lurking, a skinny kid scrapping to belong. No welfare, just work," he continued. "I rebuilt from zero once, found my passion in real estate. Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan — homes, restaurants, buildings — I built them, hired hundreds, made this city my canvas."
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Despite Diamant Hysenaj throwing his hat in the ring, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's star only continues to rise ahead of her run to win back her seat for the fifth time.
After the liberal politician endorsed Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York, he clinched a victory over Andrew Cuomo.
Ocasio-Cortez's name has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
