Meet City & State’s 2025 political power couples

Each year, City & State highlights couples who love politics almost as much as they love each other. Don’t despair if you haven’t found your running mate for life yet. In 2023, socialist organizer Daniel Atonna was just a “political single looking for love” in City & Date. This year, he’s part of our latest crop of political power couples! And there's always time to find a political match later in life; just look at former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who reportedly just started dating progressive pundit Nomiki Konst.

Daniel Atonna, Poughkeepsie Common Council candidate and political coordinator at For the Many

Leanna Zilles, political coordinator at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

What’s your current relationship status?

Dating since August 2023.

How did you two meet?

We met at a Mid-Hudson Valley DSA coat drive.

How often do your professional lives overlap?

At work, not often. Outside of work, we both serve in leadership in Mid-Hudson Valley DSA, so we’re organizing side by side every single day. We’re often canvassing, protesting or picketing together.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

We both believe that government should be doing more to help working-class people through single-payer health care, social housing, tuition-free college, a higher minimum wage, publicly owned renewable energy, replacing lead water pipes, fare-free public transportation, making it easier to unionize, and more. Sometimes we disagree on the tactics for how to win those things.

Do you have any advice for other couples in politics?

Leanna: Make time for each other outside of politics.

Daniel: Talk about things! I decided to run for city of Poughkeepsie Common Council in Ward 8, but we talked about it for a long time first because it’s a big change.

–

Didi Barrett, Assembly member

Bill Magnarelli, Assembly member

What’s your current relationship status?

A couple who are good friends and colleagues.

How did you two meet?

As Assembly members.

How often do your professional lives overlap?

Daily.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

Often.

Do you have any advice for other couples in politics?

Be yourself and always have time to laugh.

–

Tim Hunter, press secretary for the New York City Campaign Finance Board

Drisana Hughes, Brooklyn borough commissioner at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection

What’s your current relationship status?

Partners since 2021. 

How did you two meet?

Tim was a frequent volunteer on a campaign that Drisana worked on and it led to us becoming fast friends. Tim respected their working relationship and waited until after the campaign was over to ask her out on a date. We now live in Crown Heights and spend our time rooting for the New York Liberty, Brooklyn Nets and Buffalo Bills – the only football team in New York state!

How often do your professional lives overlap?

Between the two of us, we have consulted or worked on over 15 political campaigns across New York state, and now both of us work in the New York City government, so we definitely overlap from time to time. While we share many similar professional experiences, we are careful to ensure that our work lives never interfere with our personal lives.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

We disagree on a few political issues, but our discourse only strengthens our relationship and makes us better at our jobs. These discussions help us learn new things about each other and push us to think about issues differently. This dynamic has been great for us as public servants because, in our respective roles, we serve New Yorkers with many different political beliefs. In fact, we even volunteered on opposing campaigns before dating, but we won’t say who!

Do you have any advice for other couples in politics?

While being a public servant requires a level of selflessness, self-preservation is essential, and you should always make time to support the relationships that keep you happy. We know that we are more than just our jobs, so we value spending time with family and friends outside of political spaces when we can. We also enjoy occasionally traveling outside New York, but we always agree that there is no better feeling than coming home to Brooklyn.

–

Stefano Forte, executive director of the 1776 Project PAC, executive secretary of the New York Young Republican Club and former campaign manager for New York City Council Member Vickie Paladino

Becky Oliveira, communications director for New York City Council Member Inna Vernikov and design chair of the New York Young Republican Club

What’s your current relationship status? Engaged to be married in 2026!

How did you two meet?

We met in our college pre-law society, which Becky was dragged to reluctantly, and we formed an instantaneous best friendship as soon as we met. We remained best friends until the uncertainty of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 brought our connection to a boiling point. We began volunteering on our first campaign together that summer and the rest is history!

How often do your professional lives overlap?

Very often. We both serve on the board of governors of the New York Young Republican Club and work together often in that capacity, but we began our political careers in tandem with each other in 2020 and have since been involved in several local and national campaigns together in different but parallel capacities. In 2022, Becky managed Stefano’s state Senate campaign.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

We rarely disagree on policy – sometimes we may disagree on how a policy should be executed, but besides that we are generally aligned on issues. We don’t even disagree on a favorite president (Teddy Roosevelt, by the way)!

Do you have any advice for other couples in politics?

Don’t let the fast-paced nature of the field get between you. Always prioritize making time to slow down and connect with each other. We have a tradition of taking a post-election trip in November – even for one night – to give us some time together to regroup. It helps that our anniversary is Nov. 3, 2020 (Election Day – how very appropriate!). So we usually have to wait to celebrate after the election anyway. At the end of the day, you are much more powerful as a team than as separate individuals. Act accordingly!

–

Michael Zamost, associate director for planning and execution in the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

Allison Romer, founder and principal at consulting firm Sparrow Strategies

What’s your current relationship status?

Engaged, together for five years, and proud parents to our cat, Hugh.

How did you two meet? 

We met at a work dinner in New York City when we were both field organizers with the DCCC. Michael was then working in the 2nd Congressional District on Long Island, and Allison was working in the 19th Congressional District in upstate New York. Little did we know, the start of the pandemic was just a few months away, so we did long distance for the first year of our relationship while we continued working on our respective campaigns. Allison moved to New York City at the end of 2020, and we got engaged last March.

How often do your professional lives overlap? 

Our professional lives don’t overlap as much any more, but during 2022, Allison was fundraising for the governor’s campaign while Michael was working in the Executive Chamber. It made for a very interesting year!

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue? 

The main disagreement is whether we really need to watch all four hours of “Morning Joe” every day.

Do you have any advice for other couples in politics? 

Keep a well organized Google Calendar (that includes room for date nights and time together), have endless patience, and yes, your partner would always like another coffee.

–

Anya Lehr, chief of staff and senior adviser for New York City Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez 

Aaron Ghitelman, founder of consulting firm Breakfast Table Strategies and former deputy communications director for the state Office of Cannabis Management

What’s your current relationship status?

We are engaged! 

How did you two meet? 

We met through mutual friends during 2020! Had our first date at Herbert Von King Park (in Brooklyn).

How often do your professional lives overlap? 

Our work has overlapped in interesting ways. Over the last four years, Aaron has primarily been doing state-level work while Anya has been at the city level. So we have it relatively easy, where we can go to each other for advice and suggestions but never have (to be) forced to be in a place where we have to fight for different outcomes. And once, when Aaron was at the Office of Cannabis Management, Anya got to co-organize an event together for people in Jen’s district to learn their rights around cannabis and see what job opportunities existed there.

Have you ever disagreed on a political issue?

We met right after the 2020 primaries. Aaron was a Bernie voter, Anya had worked for Elizabeth Warren. Very early in chatting Anya joked, “Well if you want to stop talking to me now, go ahead.” And Aaron responded, “If people are still fighting about Bernie/Warren they aren’t doing the real work.” And that line kind of won Anya over.

Do you have any advice for other couples in politics? 

Have lives and interests beyond politics! Also zero work talk in the physical bedroom. It’s morning? It’s night? Politics doesn’t come up. Work doesn’t come up. And definitely no Twitter before bed or first thing in the morning!