Danial Espaeva, member of the Mazhilis from 2016, was announced as a presidential nominee for the Ak Zhol Democratic Party on 24 April 2019, making her the first female in Kazakhstan history to bid for presidency.

This sparked controversy at the party congress to which Espaeva called it "offensive" and noted that no female in the Kazakh government has been involved in high-level corruption cases.

[2][3] Espaeva supported to reduce interest rates in banks, as well as to end the practice of devaluation and improve the public procurement program.

[citation needed] She also called for reduced tax rates for priority industries, particularly or mechanical engineering and to make lending more accessible to entrepreneurs with lastly, a focus on the creation of new industries in the rural areas.

[5] Espaeva began her campaign rally by visiting a bread-baking plant in Almaty where she met workers consisted mostly of women.