Assembly Member Deborah Glick, first out gay NY state legislator, won't seek reelection
Assembly Member Deborah Glick, the first out gay member of the state Legislature, announced on Wednesday she would not seek another term in office after her current term ends in 2026. She will serve out her final year, bringing a close to a career in the Assembly spanning over three decades.
“I don’t believe I could continue to dedicate 100% of my energy beyond next year,” Glick said in a statement about her decision. “It has been a difficult decision at this time, and the time may never be right, but my constituents deserve a representative who can work hard every day for them.”
A lot has changed since Glick first ran for office in 1990. Out lesbians were not exactly common at the time. “I was motivated to run as an out lesbian to ensure that LGBTQ youngsters would not feel isolated and ashamed of who they are,” Glick said. She was the only out LGBTQ+ state legislator from 1991 until former state Sen. Thomas Duane entered the upper chamber in 1999.
From a career spanning 35 years, Glick highlighted her role in establishing protections for the LGBTQ+ community and passing same-sex marriage, her vote to codify Roe v. Wade and her efforts to pass the state-level Equal Rights Amendment. She also served as chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee for the last several years, heralding in several notable bills including first-in-the-nation regulations of neonicotinoid pesticides and a ban on wildlife killing contests.
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2025/10/assembly-member-deborah-glick-first-out-gay-ny-state-legislator-wont-seek-reelection/408997/?oref=csny-category-lander-featured-river