Timothy Martin Kennedy (born October 20, 1976)[2] is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for New York's 26th congressional district.

[3][4] He received his early education at St. Martin's Elementary School, and attended St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute.

[5][6] In late 2004, at the age of 28, Kennedy was appointed to the Erie County Legislature, representing the 2nd district, after Mark J. F. Schroeder was elected to the State Assembly.

[10] In 2010, Kennedy challenged incumbent William Stachowski for the Democratic nomination for the 58th district in the New York State Senate.

[13] Stachowski was one of eight Democratic state senators who had voted against a bill allowing same-sex marriage in New York, while Kennedy supported it, earning him the backing of gay rights organizations in the primary.

[19] Seeking reelection in 2012, Kennedy won a primary challenge from Democrat Betty Jean Grant, prevailing by 156 votes.

[27] In the 2016 general election, Kennedy ran unopposed on the Democratic, Working Families, Independence, and Women's Equality ballot lines and received 89,650 votes.

[33] Also in 2011, Kennedy authored Jay-J's Law, which sought to stiffen penalties for repeat child abusers by increasing the look back period in which someone can be charged with aggravated assault.

Pro-choice groups praised his shift on the issue,[33] while Bishop Richard Malone of the Buffalo diocese of the Roman Catholic Church criticized him for it.

[37] In 2019, Kennedy voted in favor of the Reproductive Health Act,[38] which was described by The Buffalo News as "the most sweeping set of protections to the state’s abortion laws in 49 years".

[46] He also served on the Finance, Rules, Energy & Telecommunications, Insurance, Banks, and Social Services Committees.

[48] Subsequently, the New York State Senate passed a package of bills designed to improve bus and limousine safety.

[52] In 2022, after the racist shooting at Tops grocery store in Buffalo, Kennedy supported a "landmark legislative package to immediately strengthen the state's gun laws, close critical loopholes exposed by shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde and protect New Yorkers from the scourge of gun violence that continues to infect our nation and endanger our communities.

"[53] On November 14, 2023, Kennedy announced that he would run for the soon-to-be vacated congressional seat held at the time by Brian Higgins.

[58] On the second anniversary of the racist shooting at Tops grocery store in Buffalo, Kennedy honored the victims in a 30-minute special order proceeding where he was joined by Rep. Jim Clyburn.

[59] He also introduced legislation with Rep. Grace Meng to ban the sale of enhanced body armor, which was used by the shooter in Buffalo.