Andrew Garbarino Bio
Andrew Reed Garbarino, born on September 27, 1984, is an American attorney and Republican politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for New York’s 2nd congressional district since January 2021. A practicing lawyer before entering public service, Garbarino is widely regarded as a moderate Republican who has at times broken with his party on high-profile national issues. In July 2025, he became the Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee following the resignation of Mark Green, further elevating his role in Congress.
Before his time in Washington, Garbarino represented the 7th district in the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2020, building a reputation on Long Island for constituent service and bipartisan cooperation. He continues to balance his legal background with legislative duties, drawing on years of experience at his family’s law firm in Sayville.
Early Life and Background
Andrew Reed Garbarino was born and raised in Sayville, New York, a small community on the south shore of Long Island. He grew up in a tight-knit family with deep roots in the region, and his relatives own numerous small businesses in nearby communities from Bay Shore to Patchogue. This local business environment helped shape his early understanding of the challenges facing small employers and working families on Long Island.
Garbarino attended Sayville High School, where he completed his secondary education before moving on to college. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and classical humanities from George Washington University. His undergraduate studies gave him a broad grounding in American history and the workings of government, which later informed his pursuit of public service.
After finishing his bachelor’s degree, Garbarino returned to Long Island to attend law school, earning a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law. His legal training prepared him for a career in private practice and, eventually, for the complex legislative work he would take on in Albany and later in Washington, D.C.
Path to US Politics
Following law school, Garbarino joined his family’s law firm in Sayville, where he built a career as a practicing attorney. Working alongside family members and serving clients across the south shore of Long Island gave him direct exposure to the legal and economic issues facing his community. His experience representing local residents and businesses laid the groundwork for a future in elected office.
Garbarino’s first major step into politics came in 2012, when New York State Senator Phil Boyle vacated his Assembly seat to run for the New York Senate. The New York Republican Party nominated Garbarino to replace Boyle, and he won election that year with 56 percent of the vote. The victory launched his career in the New York State Assembly, where he would serve the 7th district for the next eight years.
During his time in the Assembly, Garbarino became a member of the New York Conference of Italian-American State Legislators, reflecting his heritage and his involvement in cultural and community issues. He was reelected three times, in 2014, 2016, and 2018, steadily building a record of legislative accomplishments and constituent service.
Andrew Garbarino Career
Early Career (2012–2020)
Andrew Reed Garbarino’s political career began in earnest when he was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2012, representing the 7th district. His victory came after Phil Boyle’s departure from the seat, and Garbarino quickly established himself as a dedicated representative for his Long Island constituents. Over the next eight years, he earned a reputation for working across the aisle while maintaining his Republican principles.
Garbarino was reelected three times during his Assembly tenure, in 2014, 2016, and 2018, demonstrating consistent support from voters in his district. His time in Albany allowed him to develop legislative skills and build relationships that would prove valuable when he set his sights on a seat in Congress. By 2020, he was ready to take the next step in his political career.
U.S. House of Representatives Breakthrough (2021–2022)
When 14-term incumbent Representative Peter T. King announced he would not seek reelection in 2020, Garbarino entered the race for New York’s 2nd congressional district. He secured the Republican primary on June 23 with 65 percent of the vote against Assemblyman Mike LiPetri, earning endorsements from King and both the Nassau County and Suffolk County Republican Parties. In the general election, he defeated Suffolk County legislator Jackie Gordon, 53 percent to 46 percent, carrying the backing of the Republican, Conservative, Libertarian, and Serve America Movement parties.
Garbarino was sworn in on January 3, 2021, and quickly made his mark as a moderate voice within the House Republican caucus. On January 6, 2021, he declined to object to the Electoral College results, stating that Congress lacked the constitutional authority to overturn the election. In March 2021, he was one of just eight Republicans to vote for the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, and in May of that year he joined 35 Republicans in supporting legislation to establish a commission to investigate the January 6 Capitol attack.
Later in 2021, Garbarino was one of 13 Republicans who voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a major bipartisan achievement. He continued his pattern of cross-party cooperation in 2022, voting on July 19 as one of 46 Republicans to support the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified federal protections for same-sex marriage. He also co-sponsored the Fairness for All Act, a Republican alternative to the Equality Act.
Current Congressional Era (2023–Present)
Andrew Reed Garbarino entered his second term in Congress in 2023 and continued to chart an independent course within the Republican Party. In October 2023, he was one of 18 Republicans who voted against the nomination of Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House, doing so all three times Jordan was put forward. That same year, he led a letter signed by 16 House Republicans opposing the inclusion of the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act in the 2023 farm bill, and he later led a similar letter in 2025 against the Save Our Bacon Act.
In September 2024, Garbarino led a letter by 11 House Republicans to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, requesting an analysis of Chinese biotechnology and cultivated meat developments. The letter sought recommendations for the United States to outcompete China in alternative proteins research and development. He has been recognized for his work on agricultural issues by the Organization for Competitive Markets and Competitive Markets Action.
In 2024, Garbarino secured the Republican primary with 53.7 percent of the vote against challengers Robert Cornicelli and Mike Rakebrandt. He went on to defeat Democratic nominee Rob Lubin in the general election with 59.8 percent of the vote. In July 2025, he was named Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee following the resignation of Mark Green, placing him in one of the most prominent committee leadership roles held by a Long Island Republican in recent years.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Andrew Reed Garbarino’s career is his role as one of the few House Republicans to vote for the creation of a January 6 commission, his support for the Respect for Marriage Act, and his backing of major bipartisan legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. His repeated willingness to break with party leadership on high-profile votes has made him a recognizable moderate voice in Congress. In 2025, his appointment as Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee marked a significant milestone in his rising influence on the national stage.
Andrew Garbarino Career Wins
Andrew Reed Garbarino has built a record of electoral success at both the state and federal levels, winning every race he has entered since first running for the New York State Assembly in 2012. His victories reflect durable support from voters in his Long Island districts, where his brand of moderate Republicanism has resonated across multiple election cycles.
U.S. House of Representatives Highlights
Garbarino first won his congressional seat in 2020, defeating Democrat Jackie Gordon 53 percent to 46 percent. He won reelection in 2022 with 60.7 percent of the vote in a rematch against Gordon, and in 2024 he won the Republican primary with 53.7 percent before defeating Democrat Rob Lubin with 59.8 percent of the vote in the general election. His three consecutive congressional victories have cemented his hold on New York’s 2nd district.
Other Wins and Achievements
Before his time in Congress, Garbarino won election to the New York State Assembly in 2012 with 56 percent of the vote and went on to win reelection three times, in 2014, 2016, and 2018. He has also received recognition from the Organization for Competitive Markets and Competitive Markets Action for his work opposing federal preemption of state and local agricultural laws.
Andrew Garbarino Family
Family Background and Community Roots
Andrew Reed Garbarino was born and raised in Sayville, New York, in a family with deep roots on Long Island. His relatives own and operate numerous small businesses in communities stretching from Bay Shore to Patchogue, giving the family a strong presence in the local economy. He also practiced law at his family’s firm in Sayville, continuing a tradition of legal and business involvement in the region.
Personal Life
Garbarino is Catholic and resides in Bayport, New York, where he remains closely tied to the south shore Long Island community where he grew up. He continues to balance his congressional duties with his longstanding connections to family, faith, and the local region he has represented throughout his career in public service.