Anna Kaplan

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Anna Kaplan

| image = Anna Kaplan 2018.jpg

| state_senate = New York

| district = 7th

| term_start = January 1, 2019

| term_end = December 31, 2022

| predecessor = Elaine Phillips

| successor = Jack Martins

| birth_name = Anna Monahemi

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|8|23}}

| birth_place = Tabriz, Iran

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Darren Kaplan

| children = 2

| education = Yeshiva University (BS, JD)

| caption = Kaplan speaking at a March for Our Lives demonstration in 2018

}}

Anna Kaplan (née Monahemi) (born August 23, 1965) is an Iranian-American politician from Great Neck, New York. A Democrat, she was a member of the New York State Senate, representing New York's 7th State Senate district, which runs from the North Shore to roughly the central part of Western Nassau County on Long Island. She was a member of the so-called "Long Island Six," a group of six Democrats who represent Long Island in the New York State Senate and often vote as a block.{{cite web|url=https://www.longislandpress.com/2018/12/07/long-island-upsets-usher-in-state-senate-firsts|title=Long Island Upsets Usher In State Senate Firsts|author=Timothy Bolger|date=December 17, 2018|website=longislandpress|access-date=April 29, 2019}} She was elected in 2018 as part of a wave of Democrats who defeated Republican incumbents and brought control of the New York Senate to the Democrats for only the third time since World War II.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/new-york-state-senate-election-1.23015114|title=Big LI wins help Democrats take control of NY Senate|website=Newsday|access-date=January 15, 2019}} She lost re-election in 2022 to Jack Martins.

Kaplan is the first Iranian-American to be elected to either of New York state's legislative chambers{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/once-a-refugee-from-iran-a-jewish-state-senator-ascends-in-new-york-politics/|title=Once a refugee from Iran, a Jewish state senator ascends in New York politics|last=Cortellessa|first=Eric|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US|access-date=February 1, 2019}} and she is the first former political refugee to serve in the New York Senate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/anna-m-kaplan/about/|title=About Anna M. Kaplan|author=c|website=www.nysenate.gov|language=en-US|access-date= April 29, 2019}}

Early life and education

Kaplan was born to an Iranian Jewish family in Tabriz, Iran,{{cite web|url=https://forward.com/news/343714/meet-the-iranian-jew-whos-running-for-congress-despite-the-donald-trump-tro/|title=Meet the Iranian Jew Who's Running for Congress — Despite the Donald Trump Trolls|author=Sam Kestenbaum|date=June 27, 2016|publisher=The Forward}} and raised in Tehran, where her father was a carpet dealer.{{cite web|title=Anna Kaplan profile|url=http://dev2.iawfoundation.org/community/annakaplan/profile/|website=dev2.iawfoundation.org/|publisher=Iranian American Women Foundation|access-date=January 15, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} When the Islamic Revolution swept the country, Anna's parents sent her to the United States for safety at age 13.{{cite news|last1=San Antonio|first1=Bill|title=North Hempstead councilwoman Anna Kaplan touts record in re-election campaign|url=http://www.theislandnow.com/great_neck/north-hempstead-councilwoman-anna-kaplan-touts-record-in-re-election/article_4016737e-62c3-11e5-9644-ff996f378c0d.html|access-date=January 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002004605/http://www.theislandnow.com/great_neck/north-hempstead-councilwoman-anna-kaplan-touts-record-in-re-election/article_4016737e-62c3-11e5-9644-ff996f378c0d.html|archive-date=October 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Zendrian |first=Alexandra |url=http://portwashington.patch.com/articles/kaplan-wins-north-hempstead-town-council-race |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424113208/http://portwashington.patch.com/articles/kaplan-wins-north-hempstead-town-council-race |archive-date=April 24, 2012 |title=Kaplan Wins North Hempstead Town Council Race – Port Washington, NY Patch |publisher=Portwashington.patch.com |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=January 14, 2016}} Arriving as an unaccompanied child refugee in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Anna was sent to live with a foster family in Chicago, Illinois, until her parents were able to legally enter the United States. After her family reunited in Chicago, they moved to Queens, New York, and then to Great Neck, New York.{{cite news|last1=Hopper|first1=Justin|title=Meet the Candidates for District Council 4|url=http://roslyn-news.com/meet-the-candidates-for-district-council-four/|access-date=January 15, 2016|publisher=The Roslyn News|date=October 29, 2015}}

Kaplan attended the Stern College at Yeshiva University, and received her J.D. from Cardozo School of Law in New York City.{{cite web|title=Councilwoman Anna M. Kaplan (4th District)|url=http://www.northhempstead.com/content/16253/16764/16772/default.aspx|access-date=November 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101215714/http://northhempstead.com/content/16253/16764/16772/default.aspx|archive-date=November 1, 2018|url-status=dead}}

Career

=Early political career=

Kaplan started her political career as a member of the North Hempstead Town Board in 2011, and served until her election to the state senate. She had previously served as a trustee of the Great Neck Public Library and was also a member of the North Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals.

=2016 congressional primary=

On January 11, 2016, Kaplan announced that she would run for the seat in the United States House of Representatives for {{ushr|NY|3}} being vacated by retiring congressman Steve Israel.{{cite news|last1=Jacoby|first1=Sheri Jacoby|title=Anna Kaplan To Run For Congress|url=http://www.greatneckrecord.com/anna-kaplan-to-run-for-congress/|access-date=January 15, 2016|publisher=Great Neck Record}} Kaplan was defeated in the 2016 New York Congressional Democratic Primary by former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi.{{cite news|last1=Brady|first1=Ryan|title=Tom Suozzi wins Democratic primary|url=http://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/tom-suozzi-wins-democratic-primary/article_341fc128-3c22-580d-8493-41347d249702.html|access-date=September 27, 2018|publisher=Queens Chronicle}} Suozzi won the general election.{{cite news|last1=Milan|first1=Rashed|last2=Twarowski|first2=Christopher|title=Suozzi Wins Israel's Vacant Seat, LI's Congressional Incumbents Re-elected|url=https://www.longislandpress.com/2016/11/09/suozzi-wins-israels-vacant-seat-lis-congressional-incumbents-re-elected|access-date=September 27, 2018|publisher=Long Island Press}}

=2018 New York Senate election=

On April 27, 2018, flanked by Nassau County Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Kaplan announced her candidacy for the New York State Senate's 7th District to a large gathering of supporters and state and local Democratic elected officials at the "Yes We Can Community Center" in Westbury, New York.{{cite news|last1=Jacoby|first1=Sheri Jacoby|title=Anna Kaplan To Run For State Senate|url=http://portwashington-news.com/anna-kaplan-to-run-for-state-senate|access-date=September 27, 2018|publisher=Port Washington News}} On August 1, 2018, Kaplan became the first candidate for New York State office to be endorsed by former President Barack Obama.{{cite news|last1=Clausen|first1=Janelle|title=President Obama endorses Kaplan in contested state Senate race|url=https://theislandnow.com/featured/president-obama-endorses-kaplan-in-contested-state-senate-race|access-date=November 10, 2018|publisher=Blank Slate Media}}

On November 6, 2018, Kaplan defeated incumbent Senator Elaine Phillips and won election to the New York State Senate with 55 percent of the vote.{{citation|title=2018 Election Results, General Election Results -- *Certified --December 14, 2018*|url=https://www.elections.ny.gov/2018ElectionResults.html|access-date=December 30, 2018|publisher=New York State Board of Elections}}

=State Senate=

Kaplan was Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, and was a member of the Senate Committees on Children and Families, Internet and Technology, Judiciary, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Transportation and Women's Issues. She was also a member of the Legislative Women's Caucus.

In January 2019, Kaplan was one of four new state senators spotlighted by the New York Times in a piece on first-time New York senators.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/nyregion/albany-senate-democrats-.html|title="They Won Senate Seats. Now Comes the Hard Part: Adjusting to Albany." New York Times, January 11, 2019|work=The New York Times |date=January 11, 2019 |last1=Wang |first1=Vivian |last2=McKinley |first2=Jesse }}

=2024 congressional election=

In May 2023, Kaplan announced she would run for Congress in New York's 3rd congressional district, seeking to succeed George Santos in either the 2024 election or a special election if Santos were to resign or be expelled from the House.{{Cite news|url=https://www.liherald.com/stories/former-state-senator-anna-kaplan-plans-to-run-against-representative-george-santos,176087|title=Former State Senator Anna Kaplan plans to run against Representative George Santos|last1=Lane|first1=Laura|last2=Sheeline|first2=Will|work=Long Island Herald|date=7 May 2023}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2023/05/democrats-positioning-special-election-george-santos-district/386472/|work=City and State New York|last1=Coltin|first1=Jeff|last2=Destra|first2=Shantel|date=17 May 2023|title=The Democrats positioning for a special election in George Santos' district}}

Personal life

Kaplan and her husband, Darren, live in North Hills, New York,{{Cite web |title=Anna M. Kaplan |url=http://projects.newsday.com/voters-guide/profile/anna-m-kaplan |access-date=April 16, 2023 |website=Newsday |language=en}} and have two college-age daughters.