Democrats dominate NY special election, narrowing House GOP majority
After winning a special election in New York Tuesday, Democrat Tim Kennedy will replace longtime Rep. Brian Higgins, further narrowing the GOP’s thin majority in the US House.
Kennedy, a former state senator representing Buffalo, defeated former FBI agent and local town supervisor Republican Gary Dickson. Kennedy won by a large margin, earning more than twice the number of votes as Dickson, according to The Associated Press.
“We did it as a COMMUNITY. Because that’s what this was all about since Day One. And that’s what it will always be about,” Kennedy wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “I’m honored. I’m humbled. I’m ready to get to Washington and get to work. Thank you, endlessly. Let’s meet this moment together.”
Higgins, a Democrat, was first elected in 2004 and served the state’s 26th district, which includes Buffalo and Niagra Falls, for nearly two decades. Higgins resigned on Feb. 2, 2024, citing frustration with growing dysfunction in Congress, and announced he would become president of Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo.
Kennedy will serve the remainder of Higgins’ term, which ends at the end of the year. However, he is not likely to get a long break from campaigning as he is also running for a full term and will be back on the ballot in the June Democratic primary and November general election.
What does Kennedy’s win mean for the GOP House majority?
Kennedy’s victory Tuesday brings the Republican majority in the US House to just 217-213.
Current vacancies in the chamber have lowered the simple majority threshold from 218 to 216, meaning Republican Speaker Mike Johnson will now only be able to spare one of his own members in a party-line vote.
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However, a lineup of special elections for vacant seats over the next two months could help expand the GOP’s advantage in the US House. In particular, Republicans are eyeing seats currently held by Democrats who are retiring in New Hampshire and Michigan.
More: The GOP has a slim margin in the House of Representatives. These races could decide control in 2024
What is Tim Kennedy’s background?
Kennedy has been a member of the New York Senate since 2011, where he led a legislative committee on transportation and served on about ten others.
As a state senator, he supported a package of bills to tighten New York’s gun laws after a shooter inspired by racist theory shot ten Black people in a Buffalo grocery store in 2022.
Prior to serving in the state legislature, Kennedy worked as a licensed occupational therapist and was a legislator in Erie County’s second district.
Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, as @rachelbarber_
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tim Kennedy wins special election for New York House seat
