Harry Bronson

Harry B. Bronson
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 131st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2011
Preceded by Susan John
Personal details
Born May 22, 1959 (1959-05-22) (age 52)
Political party Democratic
Residence Rochester, New York

Harry B. Bronson (born May 22, 1959) is an attorney and politician from Rochester, New York who serves as a member of the New York State Assembly. A former member of the Monroe County legislature, he was elected to the Assembly in 2010. He is a Democrat.

Bronson represents the 131st district, which encompasses parts of the city of Rochester as well as the towns and villages of Chili, Churchville, Mumford, Riga, Rush, Scottsville and Wheatland.

Bronson grew up on a 200-acre farm outside Binghamton and became a Rochester resident in 1986.[1] He holds a B.A. from State University of New York at Oswego and a Juris Doctor from University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. He runs a private law practice in Rochester and served as counsel to the state Assembly Labor Committee from 2004 to 2010. From 2001 to 2004, he was a member of the Rochester City Planning Commission and served as Vice Chair in 2004.[2] He also co-owns Equal=Grounds coffee house and serves as an adjunct professor at Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations in Ithaca.[3]

Bronson was first elected to the county legislature in 2005, running on the Democratic, Independence and Working Families ballot lines in the 24th district. He outpolled his Republican opponent (also running on the Conservative line) by 67 percent to 33 percent.[4] Upon taking office, he was immediately elected assistant minority leader by the legislature's Democratic caucus, assuming the post of minority leader in October 2007.[5] He sought re-election in 2009 and, running on the Democratic and Working Families lines, won with 65% of the vote.[6]

Within a week of Susan John announcing in January 2010 that she would not seek an eleventh term in the assembly, Bronson declared his candidacy for the newly-open 131st district seat.[7] He won the endorsement of the Monroe County Democratic party as well as organized labor. He faced two primary opponents, both members of the Rochester school board. In the primary election held on September 14, 2010, he gained 40 percent of the vote and won by a margin of 244 votes (6.0%).[8] In the general election held on November 2, Bronson (also running on the Working Families Party line) polled 16,318 votes, defeating his Republican opponent by 55% to 45%.[9]

Bronson is openly gay. He is the first openly LGBT member of the New York legislature from upstate New York.[10] He is currently one of six LGBT members of the New York Legislature, alongside Assemblymembers Deborah Glick, Daniel O'Donnell, Matt Titone and Micah Kellner, as well as Senator Thomas Duane. His campaigns have won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

References

  1. ^ "Familiar faces battle in Democratic primary in 131st". Democrat and Chronicle. September 9, 2010. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100909/NEWS01/9090355/Familiar-faces-battle-in-Democratic-primary-in-131st. 
  2. ^ "Harry Bronson". Democratic Ledger. http://democraticledger.org/Bronson.html. 
  3. ^ "Candidates: Harry B. Bronson". Democrat and Chronicle. http://rocdocs.democratandchronicle.com/delegates/harry-b-bronson. 
  4. ^ "Monroe County Board of Elections: 2005 general election results". http://www.monroecounty.gov/p/boe-2005General.pdf. 
  5. ^ "Palumbo Steps Down as Minority Leader". WXXI. October 10, 2007. http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1163427&sectionID=1. 
  6. ^ "Monroe County Board of Elections: 2009 general election results". http://www.monroecounty.gov/Image/2009%20General%20Certification.pdf. 
  7. ^ "Harry Bronson announces run for Susan John's Assembly seat". Democrat and Chronicle. January 23, 2010. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100123/NEWS01/100123002/1002/NEWS. 
  8. ^ "Monroe County Board of Elections: 2010 primary election results". http://www.monroecounty.gov/Image/2010%20Primary%20Certification.pdf. 
  9. ^ "Monroe County Board of Elections: 2010 general election results". http://www.monroecounty.gov/Image/Certification%20General%20Election%202010(2).pdf. 
  10. ^ "Gay Pols Nearly Sweep Primaries". The Advocate. September 15, 2010. http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/09/15/Gay_Candidates_Nearly_Sweep_Primaries/. 

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Kevin B. Murray		 Monroe County Legislator, 24th district
January 1, 2006 – December 31, 2010		 Succeeded by
Josh Bauroth
Party political offices
Preceded by
Carla M. Palumbo		 Minority Leader, Monroe County Legislature
October 9, 2007 – November 19, 2010		 Succeeded by
Edward M. "Ted" O'Brien
New York Assembly
Preceded by
Susan V. John		 New York State Assembly, 131st district
January 1, 2011 – present		 Incumbent