Earl Brydges
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Earl Brydges is a former Temporary President and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate. He was a longtime political leader in Niagara County and New York.
Brydges, an attorney in Niagara Falls, served on the Board of Education in Wilson, New York during the 1940s. He also was active in educational advocacy organizations in Western New York. He was first elected to the State Senate in 1948, representing all of Niagara County. His district would later also encompass all of Orleans County as well.
For the majority of his Senate career, Brydges focused mainly on educational policy and mental health issues. His focus within the area of mental health was on improving services for the mentally retarded and special education students. His education policy focus was on K-12 education policy statewide. Brydges served as Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Mental Health.
In 1965, after the Republican Party lost the majority in the State Senate for the first time in the 20th Century, Brydges was elected Minority Leader of the Senate, a post he would for a year. Court ordered voting rights redistricting lead to senators serving one year terms after the 1964 and 1965 Senate elections. The Republican Party regained the majority in 1965 and Brydges became Temporary President and Majority Leader.
As Majority Leader, Brydges worked closely with Gov. Nelson Rockefeller on policy development and legislation. His main focus continued on educational issues, along with upstate economic development. He worked with Rockefeller to create the State University of New York system and to develop new school state aid funding formulas. Brydges worked with Rockfeller in the creation of new state agencies and reorganization of the New York City mass transit system. As Majority Leader, Brydges remained an advocate for Western New York and tourism development in Niagara County. He was an early supporter of casino gambling in Niagara Falls. In 1972, Brydges successfully passed legislation to legalize casino gaming in New York State through an amendment to the state constitution. The casino amendment did not pass in the end, since the state constitution requires the passage of legislation in two consecutive legislative sessions and then passage of the majority of the state's voters in a statewide referendum. Brydges' vision in the area of casino gaming was realized with the opening of the Seneca Niagara Casino on January 1, 2003.
Brydges was a fierce advocate for the pro-life movement and blocked legislation to legalize abortion in New York. In 1971, Brydges allowed the Senate to vote on legislation to legalize abortion. He did so under the belief the Senate would not pass the bill. When the Senate surprised him and passed the bill, which had already passed the Assembly and had the support of Governor Rockefeller, Brydges reportedly sat in his Senate chair and wept.
Brydges was a graduate of Niagara University and the University at Buffalo law school. He remained a long time supporter of Niagara, including serving for many years on the university's board of trustees. He also was a supporter of UB.
In 1972, both Rockefeller and Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson left the state on the same afternoon. Under the state constitution, this made Brydges the Acting Governor of New York for several hours. As acting governor, Brydges signed routine state paperwork and conducted Senate business. He did not sign any legislation into law, including a pending bill relating to Niagara Falls which he had sponsored.
In 1972, Brydges did not seek reelection to the Senate and he retired on Jan. 1, 1973. During his retirement he focused on the creation of Earl Brydges Artpark in Lewiston, New York. Artpark is an outdoor theater and concert center. In addition, the main public library in Niagara Falls was named after Brydges. Brydges died in 1975 and his funeral was attended by then Vice President Rockefeller. This was Rockefeller's first visit to Upstate New York as vice president.
| Preceded by Joseph Zarzecki |
Temporary President and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate 1966 – 1973 |
Succeeded by Warren M. Anderson |
