Queens District Attorney campaign

Cabán's 2019 campaign for Queens County District Attorney focused on criminal justice reform,^[6] including ending mass incarceration and the War on Drugs. She also called for the decriminalization of sex work.^[7] Cabán was endorsed by The New York Times,^[8][9] as well as progressive politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Larry Krasner, as well as several progressive members of the New York State Legislature^[9] and Suffolk County, Massachusetts DA Rachael Rollins.^[10] The race drew national attention, drawing comparisons to Ocasio-Cortez's upset victory in the 2018 House primary election over Joe Crowley.^[11][7]

Numerous progressive political organizations also endorsed her campaign, including Citizen Action of New York,^[12] the Working Families Party,^[13] the Democratic Socialists of America,^[13] Make the Road, Real Justice,^[14] and other community organizations in New York.^[10]

Cabán faced Queens borough president Melinda Katz in the Democratic primary. The previous District Attorney, Richard Brown, had intended to retire after the election, but died in office shortly before the primary. On June 25, 2019, Cabán claimed victory over Katz, but with the margin of victory standing at just over one percentage point, Katz declined to concede the election.^[15][16] On July 3, election officials said Katz pulled ahead in the final count with a lead of just 20 votes, triggering a recount.^[17] On August 6, days after Katz was declared the ultimate victor by 60 votes, Cabán conceded the race.^[3]

Post-election work

After her campaign for District Attorney, Cabán took on a role as a national political organizer with the Working Families Party.^[18] She was focused on recruiting decarceral criminal justice reformers to run for office.^[19]

New York City Council

In September 2020, Cabán announced her candidacy for the 22nd district of the New York City Council in the 2021 election. The incumbent Costa Constantinides could not seek re-election due to term limits.^[20] New York City's 22nd district covers Ditmars, Steinway, Astoria, Queens and parts of East Elmhurst, Queens. She ran on a democratic socialist and police and prison abolitionist program on a Democratic Party ticket, with support from the Democratic Socialists of America.

Cabán was sworn in on December 1, 2021 following her election on November 2, in order to fill the vacancy left by Constantinides' resignation.^[21]

In 2022, Cabán supported a proposed rezoning to allow a 1300-unit housing development (one quarter of which was earmarked for affordable housing) on a former industrial site in her district.^[22]

On May 2, 2023, Councilwoman Caban joined protesters at a New York City Rent Guidelines Board meeting at the Great Hall of Cooper Union at Astor Place in Manhattan to protest the proposed 16 percent rent hike on rent-stabilized apartments with two year leases. They all called for a rent rollback for all tenants living in rent-controlled and stabilized units. Tiffany was joined by fellow council members Chi Osse, Alexa Aviles, Shahana Hanif, and Sandy Nurse.^[23]