Quick Facts
Biography
Jeremy Cooney (born August 1, 1981) is an American politician from the state of New York. A Democrat, Cooney represents the 56th district of the New York State Senate, covering parts of the City of Rochester, the Town of Brighton, and the western suburbs of Monroe County. His term of office began on January 1, 2021.
Early life and education
Cooney was adopted from an orphanage in Kolkata, India, by a single mother in upstate New York. He was raised in Rochester and attended schools in the Rochester City School District, graduating from School of the Arts. Cooney earned his B.A. from Hobart College and his J.D. from Albany Law School, where he served as executive editor of the Albany Law Review.
Political career
Prior to running for elected office, Cooney served as an aide to U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, a law clerk to New York Governor David Paterson, worked for Empire State Development under Andrew Cuomo, and was the first chief of staff to Mayor Lovely A. Warren of the City of Rochester.
New York State Senate
Elections
Cooney ran for the 56th Senate District in 2018 and lost to 20-year incumbent Joseph Robach.
He ran again in 2020 and won a 3-way primary election before winning the 2020 general election by a margin of 12.6%. He is the first Asian to be elected to state office from upstate New York.
In November 2022, he defeated Republican Jim VanBrederode and was re-elected to a second term.
Tenure
Cooney serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Procurement and Contracts and is a member of the Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee, Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation Committee, Ethics And Internal Governance Committee, Finance Committee, Insurance Committee, and Transportation Committee. He also serves as Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Cannabis.
In 2022, Cooney sponsored the Green CHIPS Act, legislation that provides state tax incentives to attract semiconductor and high-tech chip manufacturers to New York. The bill was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in August 2022.
Personal life
Cooney lives in the City of Rochester with his wife, Diane Lu, a urological surgeon at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Election Results
2018
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joseph Robach (incumbent) | 53,091 | 55.5 | |
| Democratic | Jeremy Cooney | 42,497 | 44.4 | |
| Total votes | 95,615 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2020
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jeremy Cooney | 11,134 | 53.9 | |
| Democratic | Hilda Rosario Escher | 4,887 | 23.7 | |
| Democratic | Sherita Traywick | 4,634 | 22.4 | |
| Total votes | 20,655 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jeremy Cooney | 69,951 | 55.8 | |
| Republican | Michael Barry Jr. | 55,355 | 44.2 | |
| Total votes | 125,306 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
2022
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jeremy Cooney | 51,704 | 52.9 | |
| Republican | Jim VanBrederode | 43,686 | 44.7 | |
| Total votes | 97,712 | 100.0 | ||
