Brian P. Kavanagh

Brian Patrick Kavanagh (born January 18, 1967)[1] is an American politician who represents the 26th district in the New York State Senate, representing Lower Manhattan and the western part of Brooklyn since December 2017.[3] He previously served in the New York State Assembly representing the East Side of Manhattan. Kavanagh is a Democrat.

For other people named Brian Kavanagh, see Brian Kavanagh (disambiguation).
Brian Kavanagh
Brian P. Kavanagh
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 26th district
Assumed office
December 7, 2017
Preceded byDaniel Squadron
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 74th district
In office
January 3, 2007 – December 6, 2017
Preceded bySylvia M. Friedman
Succeeded byHarvey Epstein
Personal details
Born (1967-01-18) January 18, 1967[1]
Staten Island, New York, U.S.[1]
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceEast Side, Manhattan
Alma materPrinceton University (A.B.)
NYU School of Law[2]
Professionlawyer, politician
WebsiteOfficial website

Life and career

Kavanagh is a lifelong resident of New York City and graduated from Regis High School. He graduated with an A.B. in politics from Princeton University in 1989.[4] He then received a law degree from New York University School of Law.[2] He worked as an attorney at the New York law firms Kaye Scholer and Schulte Roth & Zabel. He was an aide to former New York City Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins. He served as chief of staff to New York City Council member Gale Brewer.[2]

Kavanagh began government service as an aide to Mayor Ed Koch and has served in three mayoral administrations. After the Happy Land Social Club fire claimed the lives of 87 people in 1990, Kavanagh helped coordinate the city's response to the tragedy on behalf of Mayor David Dinkins, co-designing a task force that shut down the most grievous fire code offenders.[5] At the Mayor's Office, Brian also played a key role in launching the New York City Department of Homeless Services and he then served as the agency's first Policy Director.[6]

As Chief-of-Staff for then-New York City Council member Gale Brewer, Kavanagh negotiated enactment of the Domestic Worker Protection Act, promoting the rights of housekeepers and caregivers.[5] With then-Councilmember Bill Perkins, Councilmember Brewer, and dozens of their colleagues on the Council, Kavanagh helped to draft and secure passage of Council Resolution 549, opposing the imminent invasion of Iraq.[6]

Kavanagh has served as a counselor, volunteer, and board member at the Lower East Side's Nativity Middle School and community center,[7] and as a board member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. He is a member of the New York City Bar Association and has served on the Association's Election Law Committee.[6]

Following an unsuccessful bid for the New York City Council in 2005,[8] Kavanagh was first elected to the New York State Assembly in November 2006. He is a member of the Democratic Party and has been endorsed by the Working Families Party.[2][9] Kavanagh is the co-chair of the New York chapter of State Legislators Against Illegal Guns.[10] He is also the Chair of the New York State Caucus of Environmental Legislators, a non-partisan coalition of over 30 members of the NYS legislature.[11]

Kavanagh has been awarded the League of Conservation Voters Eco-Star Award, the highest rating of any legislator in 2010 from Environmental Advocates of New York,[12] the Baruch College Legislator of the Year Award,[13][14] and a perfect rating from the League of Humane Voters.[15]

New York State Senate

In 2017, Kavanagh announced that he would run in the special election to succeed Senator Daniel Squadron, who was resigning to found a non-profit.[16] Not without criticism, Kavanagh was nominated as the Democratic candidate, despite representing very little of the same territory in the state Assembly that the Senate district encompassed.[17] Despite this, Kavanagh easily won election.[18] He was easily re-elected to a full first term in 2018.[19]

Kavanagh has been a proponent of election reform. Stating New Yorkers "have some of the worst election laws in the country," Kavanagh introduced a bill "that would allow voters to cast ballots before Election Day". New York, with 12.7 million registered voters as of 2018, is the largest state with no advance voting regime.[20]

With Democrats taking the majority in the Senate in 2019, Kavanagh was named Chair of the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development.[21]

Election results
Brian P. Kavanagh...5,213
Sylvia M. Friedman...4,857
Esther Yang...1,022
Juan Pagan...807
Brian P. Kavanagh (DEM)...21,875
Sylvia M. Friedman (WOR)...3,855
Frank J. Scala (REP)...3,576
Brian P. Kavanagh (DEM - WOR)...38,777
Bryan A. Cooper (REP)...6,684
Brian P. Kavanagh (DEM - WOR)...23,071
Dena Winokur (REP)...4,332
Brian P. Kavanagh...3,286
Juan Pagan...1,223
Brian P. Kavanagh (DEM - WOR)...34,736
Brian P. Kavanagh (DEM - WOR)...15,588
Bryan A. Cooper (REP)...2,738
Brian P. Kavanagh (DEM - WOR)...81.68% (35,648 votes)
Frank Scala (REP)...15.04% (6,562 votes)
Scott Andrew Hutchins (GRE)...3.28% (1,432 votes)
Brian P. Kavanagh (DEM - WOR)...34,674 (85.04%)
Analicia Alexander (REP)...5,915 (14.51%)

Personal life

Kavanagh is one of six children of an Irish-immigrant police officer and a community leader in Staten Island who worked at a local newspaper.[6] Kavanagh currently lives in his district in the East Side of Manhattan.

See also

References
  1. "State Assembly: Brian P. Kavanagh (D), District 74". Capitol Info. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  2. "Assembly District 74, Brian Kavanagh: Biography". New York State Assembly. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  3. "Brian Kavanagh Seated as State Senator for Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Waterfront - NY State Senate". www.nysenate.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  4. Kavanaugh, Brian Patrick (1989). "Residential Abandonment and Political Economy in Urban America". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. Board, New York City Campaign Finance. "2005 NYC Voter Guide: Candidate Profile: Brian Kavanagh". www.nyccfb.info. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Brian Kavanagh's Super Sunday swearing-in ceremony". The Villager. February 13, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  8. "Our Campaigns - NYC Council 02 - D Primary Race - Sep 13, 2005". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  9. "Endorsements". Archived from the original on October 7, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  10. "State Legislators Against Illegal Guns Elects Co-Chairs - NY State Senate". www.nysenate.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  11. "City & State Reports on Creation of NYSCEL -". January 31, 2014. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  12. "News". www.briankavanagh.org. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  13. "News". www.briankavanagh.org. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  14. "Community Reception Honors Baruch Supporters". www.baruch.cuny.edu. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  15. "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  16. "Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh Announces Candidacy For Squadron's Senate Seat". The Lo-Down : News from the Lower East Side. August 9, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  17. "Kavanagh Secures Nomination For Senate Seat; Outrage Over Process Persists". The Lo-Down : News from the Lower East Side. September 19, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  18. "NY 26th State Senate Results: Brian Kavanagh Wins". Tribeca-FiDi, NY Patch. November 6, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  19. "Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 26 Race - Nov 06, 2018". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  20. Wilson, Reid. "New York's election laws come under attack by Dems". The Hill. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  21. "Sen. Brian Kavanagh to chair NY Senate housing committee". The Real Deal New York. December 11, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  22. "Democratic Primary Election Results, 74th Assembly District: September 12, 2006" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. September 27, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  23. "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 7, 2006" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 14, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  24. "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 4, 2008" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 4, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  25. "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  26. "Democratic Primary Election Results, 74th Assembly District: September 13, 2012" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. September 27, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 5, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  27. "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 6, 2012" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. March 20, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  28. "2014 election results: Complete list of New York winners". Syracuse Post Standard. November 5, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  29. "2016 Election Results, Member of the Assembly - 74th Assembly District 2016 Election Results". DNAInfo. November 10, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  30. "Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 26 Special Race - Nov 07, 2017". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 3, 2018.

Further reading
New York State Assembly
Preceded by
Sylvia Friedman		 New York State Assembly, 74th District
2007–2017		 Succeeded by
Harvey Epstein
Preceded by
Daniel Squadron		 New York State Senate, 26th District
2017–present		 Incumbent
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