Democrats Endorse Senator Tim Kennedy for 26th Congressional District
State Senator Tim Kennedy, Momma Charlene Miller, and Pastor Craig Pridgen
Erie County Democrats unanimously endorsed state Senator Tim Kennedy for the 26th Congressional District seat soon to be vacated by Congressman Brian Higgins.
The endorsement is for the June primary and November general election cycles. It will also guide Democratic Chairman Jeremy J. Zellner when nominating a candidate for the special election that will follow Higgins’ resignation.
“I'm humbled and honored to receive the endorsement from the Erie County Democratic Party, and I remain deeply committed to delivering for the people and the families of Western New York who believe in building a more vibrant, inclusive and prosperous future together,” said Senator Tim Kennedy. “This campaign isn't about me – it's about the shared vision we have for our state and our nation, and the values we continue to uphold even in the face of radical attempts to dismantle our democracy. I thank Chairman Zellner and the entire Democratic Committee for joining me as I take my fight to Washington and prioritize the voices of our greater community.”
“Over nearly 20 years, from the County Legislature to the state Senate, Tim Kennedy has been an outstanding leader devoted to serving and standing up for Western New York,” Chairman Zellner said. “Whether bringing home millions for vital transportation projects, building a local workforce for the future, protecting children from domestic violence, ensuring the civil liberties of every New Yorker, or breaking down barriers between voters and the ballot, Senator Kennedy is one of our region’s most effective voices in Albany.”
“And he has been an invaluable partner in making the Erie County Democratic Party the strong and united organization it has become,” Zellner said. “Tonight, we’re proud to endorse Tim Kennedy in the 26th Congressional District, and we know he will continue to make us proud when he arrives in Washington, DC, and that he will be a defender of our democracy at a time when it is threatened by Republican extremism.”
Congressman Higgins will step down in early February to become President of Shea’s Performing Arts Center. Gov. Kathy Hochul will then call for a special election that will occur between 70 and 80 days after Higgins’ departure. The regular federal primary is Tuesday, June 25, and the general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5.
The 26th CD covers Buffalo, Amherst, Grand Island, Cheektowaga, the Tonawandas, and parts of West Seneca and Niagara County, including Niagara Falls.
Kennedy, 47, was appointed in 2004 to the County Legislature’s 2nd District seat, winning full terms in 2005 and 2007.
Elected to the state Senate in 2010, Kennedy represents the current 63rd SD, which contains much of the City of Buffalo and all of Cheektowaga and Lackawanna. After Democrats won the state Senate majority in 2018, Kennedy was named Chair of the powerful Transportation Committee. He has pursued an ambitious infrastructure improvement agenda that includes a $100 million NFTA metro rail capital improvement plan.
Kennedy has sponsored or backed legislation on a wide range of issues, from election and criminal justice reforms to supporting record funding for New York’s public schools, defending a woman’s right to choose, marriage equality, and combating gun violence. He has also led the way on regional job training and development through his support of the Northland Workforce Center and his annual Queen City Job Fair.
A lifelong Western New Yorker, Kennedy was raised in a blue-collar family. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy at D’Youville College and worked in that field for 11 years.
He and his wife, Katie, live in the City of Buffalo and have three children.