While two other Black women join Ayala high up on the Democratic ticket — U.S. Senate candidate Val Demings and agriculture commissioner candidate Naomi Blemur — DeSantis and the Republican-held Legislature have faced criticism for eroding Black voting power by passing tougher voting restrictions and redrawing two congressional districts long held by Black Democrats. Ayala initially planned to run for Congress in one of those districts, currently represented by Demings, but her Windermere home was drawn out of its bounds during the redistricting process.