Tim Kennedy Bio
Timothy Martin Kennedy (born October 20, 1976) is an American politician and occupational therapist who has represented New York’s 26th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy won an April 2024 special election to complete the term of Brian Higgins and was sworn into Congress on May 6, 2024. Before his time in Washington, he served in the New York State Senate for thirteen years, where he chaired the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capital Investment Committee.
Raised in South Buffalo, Kennedy trained as an occupational therapist at D’Youville University before entering local politics. He is known in Western New York for his work on transit funding, public safety, gun violence prevention, and worker protections.
Early Life and Background
Timothy Martin Kennedy was born on October 20, 1976, in Buffalo, New York. He was raised in South Buffalo, one of five children of Martin F. Kennedy and Mary Kennedy. His father served as Buffalo’s commissioner of assessment and taxation, and his mother is a retired nurse who taught nursing at D’Youville University, giving the family close ties to public service and healthcare in Western New York.
Kennedy received his early education at St. Martin’s Elementary School and later attended St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Buffalo. He went on to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in occupational therapy from D’Youville University. His Irish heritage and Roman Catholic faith have also been noted in biographical accounts.
Path to US Politics
After completing his education, Kennedy worked from 1999 to 2010 as a licensed occupational therapist at Catholic Health in the Buffalo area, building a career in patient care. His transition into public service began in late 2004, when, at the age of 28, he was appointed to the Erie County Legislature to represent the 2nd district, filling the seat vacated when Mark J. F. Schroeder was elected to the State Assembly.
Kennedy won a Democratic primary in 2005 with 65 percent of the vote and went on to defeat his Republican opponent with 72 percent of the vote in the general election. He returned to the legislature unopposed in 2007, gaining the kind of local experience that prepared him for higher office. In 2010, he challenged incumbent Democratic state senator William Stachowski, earning the endorsement of the Conservative Party and the backing of gay rights organizations because of his support for same-sex marriage, and he won the primary by a wide margin.
Tim Kennedy Career
Early Career (2004-2010)
Kennedy’s earliest elected role came in the Erie County Legislature, where he represented the 2nd district from his 2004 appointment through 2010. He proved his competitiveness by winning a contested Democratic primary in 2005 and then a strong general election victory, before running unopposed in 2007 for a second full term. These results established him as a reliable vote-getter in western New York.
During this period, he also maintained his professional career as an occupational therapist at Catholic Health. The combination of healthcare experience and local legislative work set the stage for his successful 2010 run for the New York State Senate.
State Senate Breakthrough (2011-2018)
In the 2010 general election, Kennedy defeated Republican Assemblyman Jack Quinn III for the 58th district seat, taking 47 percent of the vote to Quinn’s 45 percent. In his first year in Albany, he voted in favor of the Marriage Equality Act, which legalized same-sex marriage in New York. That vote cost him the support of the Conservative Party in 2012, but it also cemented his reputation as a legislator willing to break with traditional party alliances.
He authored Jay-J’s Law in 2011, which stiffened penalties for repeat child abusers and was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo in July 2013. In 2012, he introduced a four-bill package to combat the opioid epidemic, including a prescription-monitoring system. In 2013, Kennedy introduced Jackie’s Law, which updated New York’s stalking statutes to address the misuse of electronic tracking devices, and it was signed into law in July 2014. He also supported raising the state minimum wage and later, in 2020, passed legislation allowing striking workers to collect unemployment insurance after two weeks.
Kennedy was re-elected several times, defeating Betty Jean Grant in a hard-fought 2014 Democratic primary and winning a large general election victory. In 2018, when Democrats won the State Senate majority, he was appointed chair of the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capital Investment Committee and also served on the Finance, Rules, Energy and Telecommunications, Insurance, Banks, and Social Services committees.
US House Era (2024-Present)
On November 14, 2023, Kennedy announced his campaign for the congressional seat being vacated by Brian Higgins, and he won the April 30, 2024 special election against Republican Gary Dickson with 68.6 percent of the vote. He was sworn into the United States House of Representatives on May 6, 2024, beginning his tenure in the 118th Congress. One of his first cosponsored bills was H.R. 2530, the Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act, and in his first floor speech he emphasized the need for safe nurse-to-patient ratios.
On the second anniversary of the racist shooting at Tops grocery store in Buffalo, Kennedy honored the victims in a 30-minute special order proceeding joined by Representative Jim Clyburn. He also introduced legislation with Representative Grace Meng to ban the sale of enhanced body armor. In 2025, he voted for a resolution denouncing the antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, and voted to table articles of impeachment introduced against President Donald Trump.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Kennedy’s signature achievements are the passage of Jay-J’s Law and Jackie’s Law, his role in securing $100 million for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Buffalo Metro Rail System, and his work on a new Amtrak Buffalo-Exchange Street station. After the 2022 Tops grocery store shooting, he backed a sweeping gun safety package, and in Congress he has continued to focus on healthcare staffing, public safety, and gun violence prevention.
Tim Kennedy Career Wins
Timothy Martin Kennedy has compiled a long record of electoral victories at the county, state, and federal levels, reflecting durable support across Western New York.
State and Federal Highlights
Kennedy has won multiple races for the New York State Senate, including a hard-fought 2010 primary, a narrow 2012 primary win against Betty Jean Grant, a rematch victory in 2014, and uncontested or dominant wins in 2016 and 2018. His April 30, 2024 special election victory for New York’s 26th congressional district, with 68.6 percent of the vote over Gary Dickson, stands as his most recent and most significant win.
Other Wins & Achievements
At the Erie County Legislature, Kennedy won a 2005 primary with 65 percent of the vote and a general election with 72 percent, then ran unopposed in 2007. His legislative achievements include the enactment of Jay-J’s Law, Jackie’s Law, a minimum wage increase, and a 2020 law that shortened the waiting period for striking workers to claim unemployment insurance.
Tim Kennedy Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Kennedy was raised in a large Catholic family in South Buffalo as one of five children of Martin F. and Mary Kennedy. His father, Martin F. Kennedy, served as Buffalo’s commissioner of assessment and taxation, while his mother, Mary Kennedy, is a retired nurse who also taught nursing at D’Youville University. This background in public administration and healthcare shaped his interest in policy and service.
Personal Life
Kennedy lives in Buffalo, New York, with his wife, Katie Kennedy, and their three children. He is Roman Catholic and of Irish heritage, and he continues to reside in the South Buffalo community where he grew up.