For Immediate Release: February 3, 2026

Contact: Emily Leng; eleng@kavanagh.nyc; 248-657-2559

New York State Senator Brian Kavanagh released the following statement:

“I am announcing today that I have decided not to seek reelection. This has been a very difficult decision, because I love so many aspects of my job as a legislator and as a representative of so many diverse communities. But in my very first campaign, I sought to persuade voters that it was time for “a new generation of leadership” and I believe that all of us in elected office owe it to our constituents to recognize when we have reached a point when we have given it our all and they would be well served by electing someone new. After 20 years in the legislature — and in a window when this decision can allow for an open contest for my seat — for me, that point is now. And I am confident that there will be new, exciting, and impactful ways to continue serving the public, and I look forward to exploring what I might do after I have completed my term in eleven months.

“I am proud to have accomplished more than I could have ever hoped when I was first elected in 2006, leading negotiations on housing legislation like the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, the COVID eviction and foreclosure moratorium and Emergency Rental Assistance Program, good cause eviction, the Housing Access Voucher Program and Shelter Arrears Eviction Forestallment Program, expansion and updating of the rent freeze and homeowner tax abatements for seniors and disabled New Yorkers, support for hundreds of local organizations and service providers protecting tenants, homeowners, and communities in every part of the state, and investments of many billions of dollars in building and maintaining accessible, affordable housing; on legislation to protect the environment and help bring forth a new, affordable, sustainable future, like the All-Electric Building Act and extended producer responsibility for various products; on landmark gun violence prevention laws like the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and renewing our restrictions on carrying guns, eight days after the Supreme Court struck them down; on elections, voting, and campaign finance reform. And of course my staff and I have relished the opportunity to serve thousands of individual constituents who brought their problems and service needs to us.

“I remain very motivated to treat every day in this job as an opportunity to serve the residents of the 27th Senate District and to partner with colleagues at all levels of government, advocates, constituents, and my great staff to fund essential programs and services, enact the laws we need, and address community and individual constituent issues. And as this legislative session unfolds and throughout the remainder of 2026, I plan to do exactly that.

“Certain aspects of the election cycle have already begun, and indeed I have already received the endorsements of two of my local Democratic clubs, for which I am grateful, but I make this decision today confident that there will be ample time for candidates to come forward, submit their petitions by April 6th, and make their case to the voters of the 27th Senate District in the June 23rd primary and the November 3rd general election.

“For now, I want to express my gratitude. To my family and close friends who have shaped my perspective on the world, inspired my commitment to serve, and supported me politically, professionally, and personally in so many ways. To all my colleagues in the Senate for our tremendously productive collaboration, and especially to Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who leads with such strength, grace, and clarity about what is right and what we need to do — and who entrusted me over the last seven years with leading our efforts on housing, construction, and community development. To Speaker Carl Heastie and my colleagues in the Assembly, where I served for eleven wonderful, challenging years. To Governor Kathy Hochul, and everyone in the executive branch across four administrations who partnered with me and my colleagues in the Legislature, so many of whom have played vital, enormously positive roles with little public recognition. To my colleagues across the country with whom I founded and led American State Legislators for Gun Violence Prevention, to my fellow board members and the staff at the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators and the Council of State Governments, and to all of the other elected officials, advocates, stakeholders, community leaders, and other New Yorkers who engaged with me and with our democratic process to make progress as they saw it. To my present and former staffers, who inspired, supported, and worked alongside me — and achieved so much for the people we have served together. To the many campaign workers and volunteers who supported me through 14 successful primary, general, and special elections. And of course to all my constituents — those who voted for me as well as those who did not; serving and representing hundreds of thousands of my fellow New Yorkers has been an unfathomable honor and a privilege that I will cherish forever.”

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