Tim Kennedy
Tim Kennedy, a Democrat and former state senator who has represented New York's 26th congressional district since 2024, seeks re-election in 2026 against Republican Dennis Hannon, a former construction worker.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Tim Kennedy.
- Born
- October 20, 1976
- Birthplace
- Buffalo, New York
- Education
- St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
D'Youville University (bachelor's degree and master's degree in occupational therapy)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Tim Kennedy was raised in South Buffalo, one of five children of Martin F. and Mary Kennedy; his father was Buffalo's commissioner of assessment and taxation and his mother a nurse who taught nursing at D'Youville University.
He attended St. Martin's Elementary School and St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, then earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in occupational therapy from D'Youville University. From 1999 to 2010 he worked as a licensed occupational therapist at Catholic Health.
He lives in Buffalo with his wife, Katie, and their three children.
Career
Kennedy was appointed to the Erie County Legislature in late 2004, at age 28, and won election to the seat in 2005 before running unopposed in 2007.
In 2010 he defeated incumbent William Stachowski in the Democratic primary for the 58th State Senate district and then won the general election against Republican Jack Quinn III.
He served in the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2024, and after Democrats won the chamber majority in 2018 he chaired the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capital Investment Committee, securing $100 million for the Buffalo Metro Rail system.
Kennedy entered the race for the congressional seat being vacated by Brian Higgins in November 2023 and won the April 30, 2024, special election with 68.6% of the vote against Republican Gary Dickson. He was sworn in on May 6, 2024. In the 119th Congress he serves on the Committee on Homeland Security, as ranking member of its Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, and on the Committee on Veterans Affairs.
2026 race
Tim Kennedy is the Democratic nominee for re-election in New York's 26th congressional district, which is based in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area and includes the more urban parts of Erie County and western Niagara County. He was re-elected with 65.2% of the vote in 2024. His Republican opponent is Dennis Hannon, a former construction worker who also appears on the Conservative Party line. The general election takes place on November 3, 2026.