Lower Manhattan and neighborhoods on the Brooklyn waterfront once again have representation in the State Senate. Brian Kavanagh has been sworn in as a state Senator, meaning he’s now officially taken over Daniel Squadron’s former seat in the 26th Senate District.
Kavanagh cruised to victory in a special election held last month, after prevailing in a controversial Democratic Party selection process earlier in the fall. Kavanagh took the oath of office and resigned his seat in the 74th Assembly District. In a statement, Kavanagh said:
I’m grateful that the people of the 26th District have elected me to serve them in the State Senate. I look forward to representing communities throughout Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront. This district has real needs — from promoting affordable housing, to improving transit and mitigating the impact of the looming L Train shutdown, to preventing inappropriate development, to ensuring our schools have the resources they need, to preserving and expanding green spaces. In the coming months, I’ll work to tackle these problems and make sure state government functions effectively for all New Yorkers.
The 26th District page on the State Senate’s website still shows the seat as “vacant.” You’ll eventually be able to find Kavanagh’s office information here. Kavanagh now represents the Lower East Side and Chinatown, in addition to the rest of downtown NYC and several communities across the river in Brooklyn. Squadron abruptly resigned from the Senate to join an organization working to elect progressive candidates nationwide. Squadron made it clear he’d had enough of the Albany cesspool.
