Laura Gillen
{{Short description|American politician and attorney}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Laura Gillen
| image = Gillen Laura 119th Congress (cropped2).jpg
| alt = Official House portrait of Gillen smiling in front of the U.S. flag, wearing a black blazer jacket.
| caption = Official portrait, 2025
| state = New York
| district = {{ushr|NY|4|4th}}
| term_start = January 3, 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = Anthony D'Esposito
| successor =
| office1 = Town Supervisor of Hempstead
| term_start1 = 2018
| term_end1 = 2019
| predecessor1 = Anthony Santino
| successor1 = Donald Clavin
| birth_name = Laura Anne Gillen
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|7|10}}
| birth_place = Rockville Centre, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| education = Georgetown University (BA)
New York University (JD)
| website = {{url|gillen.house.gov|House website}}
| spouse = Christopher Finegan
| children = 4
| image name =
}}
Laura Anne Gillen (born July 10, 1969){{Cite web |title=Rep. Laura Gillen - D New York, 4th, In Office - Biography {{!}} LegiStorm |url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/422300/Laura_Anne_Gillen.html |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=www.legistorm.com |language=en}} is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 4th congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the town supervisor of Hempstead, New York. Her district includes central and southern Nassau County, a suburban area on Long Island.
Early life and education
Gillen was born on July 10, 1969, in Rockville Centre, New York, and grew up in Baldwin with her four siblings.{{Cite web |title=Gillen, Laura |url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/G000602 |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress}}{{Cite web |last=Fiebert |first=Ben |date=2023-08-06 |title=Laura Gillen remembers the life of her father, William Gillen |url=https://www.liherald.com/baldwin/stories/william-gillen-obituary-baldwin,187518 |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Herald Community Newspapers |language=en}} She attended Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead before earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from Georgetown University in 1991.
After graduating, Gillen worked at an entertainment agency before traveling abroad.{{cite news |last1=Strack |first1=Ben |date=22 November 2017 |title=Getting to know Laura Gillen |url=https://www.liherald.com/stories/getting-to-know-laura-gillen,97703 |access-date=26 November 2024 |work=Herald Community Newspapers |language=en}} She became a scuba diving instructor in Thailand and later volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity, an organization founded by Mother Teresa, in Kolkata, India.{{cite news |last1=Eskow |first1=Nick |last2=Fontelo |first2=Paul |date=January 3, 2025 |title=11 fun facts and miscellanies about the 119th Congress |url=https://rollcall.com/2025/01/03/fun-facts-119th-congress-house-senate/ |access-date=January 5, 2025 |work=Roll Call |language=en}}
Upon returning to the United States, Gillen enrolled at New York University School of Law, where she earned a Juris Doctor in 2000.
Legal career
Gillen began her legal career as an associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel, where she worked until 2005. She then practiced commercial litigation at the Uniondale-based law firm Westerman Ball Ederer Miller Zucker & Sharfstein. Following her time in local government, Gillen worked as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University Law School.{{Cite news |date=October 20, 2024 |title=Laura A. Gillen |url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/elections/laura-a-gillen-us-representative-4th-district-mf8xf50x |work=Newsday}}
Early political career
In 2017, Gillen narrowly defeated incumbent Anthony J. Santino for Hempstead Town Supervisor, becoming the first Democrat in 100 years elected to the position.{{cite news |last1=Dazio |first1=Stefanie |last2=Asbury |first2=John |title=Surprise win for Democrats in Hempstead supervisor race |work=Newsday |date=November 8, 2017 |url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/hempstead-supervisor-election-santino-gillen-1.14846053 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322041640/https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/hempstead-supervisor-election-santino-gillen-1.14846053 |archive-date=2021-03-22}} In that election, Gillen was outspent by $1.2 million dollars and won by a margin of 2,268 votes.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/13/nyregion/peter-king-long-island-republicans.html | title=Rep. Peter King's Exit Highlights the G.O.P.'s Suburban Problem | newspaper=The New York Times | date=November 13, 2019 | last1=Wang | first1=Vivian }}
During her 2017 campaign for Supervisor, Gillen criticized Santino's treatment of fellow town board members Bruce Blakeman and Erin King-Sweeney.{{Cite web |date=2017-09-13 |title=Laura Gillen Responds To Supervisor Santino's State Of The Town |url=https://longislandweekly.com/laura-gillen-responds-supervisor-santinos-state-town/ |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Long Island Weekly |language=en-US}} The two town board members took issue with a Santino proposal to restrict board members from taking more than $125,000 in outside income. While Santino denied it, the two attorneys argued that it was an attempt to throw them off the board.{{Cite web |date=October 29, 2017 |title=Newsday endorses Gillen for Hempstead supervisor |url=https://www.newsday.com/opinion/editorial/laura-gillen-for-hempstead-supervisor-1.14654281 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Newsday |language=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030025838/https://www.newsday.com/opinion/editorial/laura-gillen-for-hempstead-supervisor-1.14654281 |archive-date=2017-10-30}} Blakeman would later cross party lines to endorse Gillen in October.{{Cite web |last=Stieglitz |first=Brian |date=October 27, 2017 |title=Blakeman crosses party lines, endorses Gillen for town supervisor |url=https://www.liherald.com/stories/blakeman-crosses-party-lines-endorses-gillen-for-town-supervisor,97061 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Herald Community Newspapers |language=en}}
In May 2018, Gillen released a five year capital plan which included rehabilitation of a town 311 facility and a water testing lab and $160 million in capital highway spending.{{Cite web |last=Dazio |first=Stefanie |date=May 6, 2018 |title=Town's capital plan includes 311 system |url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/hempstead-capital-spending-1.18387550 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Newsday |language=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124001013/https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/hempstead-capital-spending-1.18387550 |archive-date=2022-01-24}}
U.S. House of Representatives
= Elections =
== 2022 ==
{{See also|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 4|label 1=2022 New York's 4th congressional district election}}
In 2022, Gillen ran for the New York's 4th congressional district in 2022 United States House of Representatives elections.{{Cite web |last=Smollins |first=Mike |date=February 24, 2022 |title=Laura Gillen announces campaign for Congress in 4th District |url=https://www.liherald.com/stories/laura-gillen-announces-campaign-for-congress-in-4th-district,138841 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226024251/https://www.liherald.com/stories/laura-gillen-announces-campaign-for-congress-in-4th-district,138841 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=Herald Community Newspapers |language=en}} The seat was being vacated by incumbent Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice.{{cite news |last=Smollins |first=Mike |title=Rockville Centre's Laura Gillen discusses her run for Congress |work=LI Herald |date=March 3, 2022 |url=https://www.liherald.com/rockvillecentre/stories/rockville-centres-laura-gillen-to-run-for-congress,138914 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303212818/https://www.liherald.com/rockvillecentre/stories/rockville-centres-laura-gillen-to-run-for-congress,138914 |archive-date=2022-03-03}} Gillen won the Democratic primary,{{cite web | date=August 24, 2022 | url=https://longisland.news12.com/winners-in-long-islands-primaries-look-forward-to-november-election | title=Winners in Long Island's primaries look forward to November election | website=News 12 Long Island}} but lost the general election to Republican Anthony D'Esposito.{{cite web |title=New York Fourth Congressional District Election Results |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-new-york-us-house-district-4.html |website=The New York Times |date=8 November 2022}}
== 2024 ==
{{See also|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 4|label 1=2024 New York's 4th congressional district election}}
Gillen announced she would run against D'Esposito again in 2024. She defeated him in the general election, flipping the seat.{{cite web |last1=Ngo |first1=Emily |last2=Beeferman |first2=Jason |date=November 7, 2024 |title=Laura Gillen defeats Rep. Anthony D’Esposito in heated NY rematch focused on border security |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/07/laura-gillen-wins-new-york-house-race-00187414 |access-date=November 8, 2024 |website=Politico}} During her campaign, she said she opposed the implementation of congestion pricing in lower Manhattan.{{Cite web |last=Brosnan |first=Erica |date=November 8, 2024 |title=Newly elected congresswoman vows to work across aisle |url=https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/mornings-on-1/2024/11/08/newly-elected-congresswoman-vows-to-work-across-aisle- |website=ny1.com |language=en}}
= Tenure =
In 2025, Gillen was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for the Laken Riley Act.{{cite news |last=Rashid |first=Hafiz |date=January 22, 2025 |title=The 46 Democrats Who Voted for Republicans' Racist Immigration Bill |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/190569/list-house-democrats-vote-pass-laken-riley-act-immigration-bill |accessdate=January 31, 2025 |publisher=The New Republic}}
On March 6, 2025, Gillen was one of ten Democrats in Congress who joined all of their Republican colleagues in voting to censure Democratic congressman Al Green for interrupting President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address.{{Citeweb|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/al-green-censure-house-trump-speech-democrats|title=Ten Democrats join Republicans to vote to censure Al Green over Trump speech|last=Gedeon|first=Joseph|publisher=The Guardian|date=March 6, 2025|accessdate=March 6, 2025}}
= Committee assignments =
File:Short-haircut-photo-banner-email-header-10_(cropped).png ]]
For the 119th Congress:{{Cite web |date=2025-01-03 |title=Committees and Caucuses |url=https://gillen.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=Representative Gillen |language=en}}
= Caucus Memberships =
Personal life
Gillen is married to Christopher Finegan, a producer. They have four children and live in Rockville Centre, New York. She is Catholic.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change | title=US House election, 2022: New York District 4{{cite web|title=2022 General|date=November 8, 2024|publisher=NY State Board of Elections|url=https://results.elections.ny.gov/contest/8}}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Anthony D'Esposito
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 129,353
| percentage = 47.63%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Anthony D'Esposito
| party = Conservative Party of New York State
| votes = 11,269
| percentage = 4.15%}}
{{Election box winning candidate no change
| candidate = Anthony D'Esposito
| party = Total
| votes = 140,622
| percentage = 51.78%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Laura Gillen
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 130,871
| percentage = 48.19%}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 67
| percentage = 0.02%}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 271,560
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
| loser = Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title=US House election, 2024: New York District 4{{cite web|title=2024 General|date=November 5, 2024|publisher=NY State Board of Elections|url=https://elections.ny.gov/certified-november-5-2024-general-election-results-approved-12092024}}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Laura Gillen
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 190,569
| percentage = 50.75%}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| candidate = Laura Gillen
| party = Common Sense Party
| votes = 1,191
| percentage = 0.32%}}
{{Election box winning candidate no change
| candidate = Laura Gillen
| party = Total
| votes = 191,760
| percentage = 51.07%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Anthony D'Esposito
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 169,641
| percentage = 45.18%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Anthony D'Esposito
| party = Conservative Party of New York State
| votes = 13,516
| percentage = 3.60%}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| candidate = Anthony D'Esposito (incumbent)
| party = Total
| votes = 183,157
| percentage = 48.77%}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
| votes = 601
| percentage = 0.16%}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 375,518
| percentage = 100%}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
| loser = Republican Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Anthony D'Esposito}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 4th congressional district|years=2025–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=Brandon Gill}}
{{s-ttl|title=United States representatives by seniority|years=391st}}
{{s-aft|after=Craig Goldman}}
{{s-end}}
{{NY-FedRep}}
{{Current members of the U.S. House of Representatives}}
{{USCongRep-start |congresses=119th–present United States Congresses |state=New York}}
{{USCongRep/NY/119}}
{{USCongRep-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gillen, Laura}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
Category:American women lawyers
Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States elections
Category:Female members of the United States House of Representatives
Category:Georgetown University alumni
Category:New York (state) Democrats
Category:New York University School of Law alumni