Brad Hoylman

Background

Hoylman was born in rural West Virginia, the youngest of six children of a public school teacher and an electrician. He attended West Virginia University, where he was elected president of student administration and graduated with honors. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received a Truman Scholarship, before attending Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship where he received a master's degree in political science. Afterwards, he attended Harvard Law School prior to beginning his non-profit career in affordable housing.

Career

Hoylman was the chairperson of Community Board 2 in Manhattan and the Democratic District Leader of the 66th Assembly District, Part A. He is also Trustee of the Community Service Society of New York, a former president of the Gay & Lesbian Independent Democrats, and a former board member of the Empire State Pride Agenda, Tenants & Neighbors, Class Size Matters, and Citizen Action.

Since his election, Hoylman has sponsored a bill to ban gay conversion therapy for minors within the state of New York, a universally discredited practice associated with extreme health risks for youth such as depression and suicide. Nine other states, as well as the District of Columbia have banned the practice on minors.

In December 2016, Hoylman sponsored legislation known as the Tax Reforms Uniformly Made Public (T.R.U.M.P.) Act, prohibiting New York State electors from voting for a presidential candidate who has not publicly released at least 5 years worth of tax returns no later than 50 days prior to a general election. Lawmakers in 25 other states followed suit in producing legislation to compel presidential candidates to release their tax returns. A Change.org online petition in support of Hoylman's bill has since received nearly 150,000 signatures, and the idea was praised by the Editorial Board of The New York Times.

2001: New York City Council

In 2001, ran for the New York City Council in the first district, which includes Governor's Island and a portion of Lower Manhattan. He placed second in a seven-candidate race, losing to Alan Gerson.

2012: New York State Senate

On June 11, 2012, Hoylman declared his candidacy for the 27th District of the New York State Senate, running for the seat of retiring State Senator Tom Duane. He won Duane's endorsement, as well as the support of numerous local politicians and unions. In the Democratic primary election held on September 13, 2012, he prevailed easily, winning 70% of the vote in a three-candidate field. Hell's Kitchen activist and bar owner Tom Greco was his closest competition, winning 24% of the vote. In the general election in November, he was unopposed.

He won the Democratic primary and general election in 2014.

He won by an ninety-four point margin in the 2016 election against Stephen Roberts, after winning unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Committee Assignments

Hoylman serves on the following New York State Senate committees in the 2017 legislative session:

Personal

Brad Hoylman and David Sigal announced their marriage in 2013. They live with young daughter, Silvia, in Greenwich Village. Hoylman is a practicing Jew.