Photo by Kerry Schuss

State Senator Brian Kavanagh, who has represented Tribeca (and the Village, the East Village, Little Italy, Chinatown, Soho and the Financial District) in Albany since 2017, announced last week that he will not seek reelection in the fall. He announced the news on his State Senate page. Candidates are already announcing plans to run for his seat.

(That’s the senator, second from left, at the ceremony to acknowledge Councilman Chris Marte’s contribution to Washington Market Park.)

Kavanagh, 59, was elected to the State Assembly in 2006, representing the 74th district (East Village, Kips Bay, Gramercy). He was then chosen by party leaders to replace Dan Squadron when he retired abruptly mid-term in 2017. The 27th Senate district used to have parts of Brooklyn; now it is strictly Lower Manhattan.

“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,” Kavanagh said in his announcement. “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.”

Kavanagh offered thanks to his family, his staffers over the years and his colleagues, and listed the accomplishments he is most proud of, including the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act; the COVID eviction and foreclosure moratorium and Emergency Rental Assistance Program; expansion and updating of the rent freeze and homeowner tax abatements for seniors and disabled New Yorkers; efforts towards affordability, accessibility and sustainability in housing; landmark gun violence prevention laws; and elections, voting and campaign finance reforms.

City&State reported that this could set up a race between Assemblymember Grace Lee, who currently represents Assembly District 65 (a lot of the Lower East Side, Chinatown, the Seaport and the east side of Fidi), and former Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, who came in a close second to Dan Goldman in the race for US Representative for our District 10. “Lee unsuccessfully challenged Niou for her Assembly seat in 2020 before winning the seat in an open race in 2022, meaning this year could shape up to be a rematch,” City&State wrote.

City&State said that Niou officially announced that she is running for the seat hours after Kavanagh said he would retire.

More TK on the race. Candidates must submit petitions by April 6.