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Deborah J. Glick

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Deborah Glick
Member of the New York State Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 1991
Preceded byWilliam F. Passannante
Constituency61st (1991–1993)
66th (1993–present)
Personal details
Born (1950-12-24) December 24, 1950 (age 74)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLeslie
EducationQueens College
Fordham University
Signature
Websitedeborahglick.com

Deborah J. Glick (born December 24, 1950) is an American politician who serves in the New York State Assembly from the 66th district since 1993, and from the 61st district between 1991 and 1993, as a member of the Democratic Party.

Born in Queens, Glick was educated at Queens College and Fordham University. She operated a printing business and was a deputy director for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. The Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats elected her as its president and splintered due to her opposition to Ed Koch.

Glick was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1990, becoming the first open LGBT person to serve in the state legislature. She has chaired the Ethics and Guidance, Higher Education, and Social Services committees during her tenure. She unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for borough president of Manhattan in 1997.

Early life

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Deborah J. Glick was born in the New York City borough of Queens,[1] on December 24, 1950.[2][3] She graduated from Queens College with a bachelor's degree and from Fordham University with a Master of Business Administration. She has lived in Greenwich Village for over 40 years.[1] She is Jewish[2] and is married to Leslie.[4]

Until May 1990, Glick was a deputy director for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.[5] Prior to that she operated a printing business in Tribeca.[3]

Career

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Local politics

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Greenwich Village's Democratic politics were divided into the pro-Ed Koch Village Reform Democratic Club (VRDC), anti-Koch Village Independent Democrats (VID), and neutral Downtown Independent Democrats (DID). The Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats elected Glick, who was opposed to Koch, president in 1986. The pro-Koch members of the organization left and formed the Stonewall Democratic Club.[2][6]

Ruth Messinger, borough president of Manhattan, ran for mayor of New York City in 1997, rather than for reelection.[7] Glick announced her campaign for the Democratic nomination on May 4,[8] but lost to C. Virginia Fields. Her campaign raised $665,002 from donors and received $322,074 in public funds.[9][10] Fields was endorsed by Messinger[11] while Glick was endorsed by Alan Hevesi.[12]

Thomas Duane was endorsed by Glick for New York City Council in 1991, later becoming its first openly gay member.[13] She and other gay leaders and organizations opposed the reelection of Antonio Pagán, a gay man, to the city council in 1993.[14] For mayor of New York City, she supported Fernando Ferrer in 2005,[15] Bill Thompson in 2009,[16] Maya Wiley in 2021,[17] and Scott Stringer in 2025.[18] Glick called for Eric Adams to resign as Mayor of New York City after he was indicted.[19]

State legislature

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Elections

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William F. Passannante, who had served in the state legislature for 35 years, announced that he would not seek reelection to the New York State Assembly from the 61st district on April 11, 1990.[20] Glick, who launched her campaign before his announcement,[21] was supported by Susan Sarandon,[22] Messinger, Bella Abzug,[23] the National Organization for Women,[24] and The New York Times.[25]

Liz Shollenberger, who was endorsed by the Stonewall Democratic Club[26] and VRDC,[25] attacked Glick's commitment to abortion stating that "The only time that a lesbian would deal with an abortion would be when she's raped."[27] The VID endorsed Tony Hoffman while DID endorsed Kathryn E. Freed.[28][25] She defeated Republican nominee Elizabeth Ivory Greene in the general election.[5] Around $150,000 was spent by Glick during the campaign.[29]

Glick faced no opposition in the 2006,[30] 2008,[31] 2012,[32] and 2022 elections.[33] She considered running to succeed Manfred Ohrenstein in the New York State Senate in 1994,[34] but declined to do so.[35]

Doug Seidman was selected by the Working Families Party as a paper candidate against Glick in 2018. The WFP swapped Seidman for Cynthia Nixon, who received the party's gubernatorial nomination and is a resident of the district, so that it could give its nomination to Andrew Cuomo. Nixon did not campaign and supported Glick.[36][37][38] Glick won with 81.94% of the vote.[39]

Tenure

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Glick was the first openly LGBT person in the state legislature.[40] She refused to participate in the 1992 New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade if the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization were prohibited.[41]

In 1991, Glick was the 10th-lowest paid member of the state legislature.[42] During Glick's tenure in the state house she served on the Children and Families, Environmental Conservation, Government Operations, Rules, and Ways and Means committees. She was chair of the Ethics and Guidance, Higher Education, and Social Services committees.[43][44] She was a presidential elector for Bill Clinton in the 1996 election.[45]

Political positions

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In 1993, legislation cosponsored by Glick which would amend New York's civil rights law to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation was passed by the state house, but was not voted on in the state senate.[46][47][48] Pope John Paul II's visit to the United States was protested by around 1,000 people, including Glick, due to his stances on abortion, birth control, and gay rights.[49] She criticized Barack Obama for selecting Rick Warren to do the invocation at his inauguration due to his stances on gay rights.[50] In 2013, she supported legislation to ban conversion therapy.[51]

Legislation to recognize domestic partnerships was proposed by Glick.[52] She supported repealing New York misdemeanor punishment for adultery, which ad existed since the 1800s, as only 10 people were arrested for it between 1972 and 1993.[53] She criticized Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno in 1995, after he stated that LGBT state senate employees should not receive health coverage for domestic partners as it would subsidize their "abnormal lifestyle".[54]

Glick opposes capital punishment.[55] In 1991, Glick sponsored legislation by Velmanette Montgomery that would decriminalize the possession of hypodermic needle, hoping that the availability of clean needles would reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.[56] In 1995, the state assembly voted 140 to 9, with Glick against, to pass Megan's Law.[57][58]

Carl Marcellino and Glick proposed legislation in 2005, to ban contests where the goal is to kill as many animals as possible, with the exception of fishing contests.[59][60] Similar legislation was cosponsored by Glick and signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2023.[61] Selling horses for meat was made illegal by legislation sponsored by Glick in 2023.[62]

The 1992 redistricting plan for the state legislature was criticized by Glick as a "clear attempt to gerrymander".[63] In 2017, she proposed to create a compulsory voting system with a fine of $10 for those who do not vote.[64]

Construction of a new stadium for the New York Jets in Manhattan was opposed by Glick in 2005.[65] She opposed using Pier 40 for residential development[66] and the Elizabeth Street Garden for affordable housing for seniors.[67]

Electoral history

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Electoral history of Kevin Kiley
Year Office Party Primary General Result Ref.
Total % P. Total % P.
1996 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Liberal 		37,338 86.26% 1st Won [68]
1998 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic 31,095 88.39% 1st Won [69]
2000 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		44,063 84.32% 1st Won [70]
2002 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		26,427 85.98% 1st Won [71]
2004 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		50,326 97.59% 1st Won [72]
2006 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		33,667 100.00% 1st Won [30]
2008 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		49,943 99.99% 1st Won [31]
2010 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		28,774 86.60% 1st Won [73]
2012 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		40,142 99.74% 1st Won [32]
2014 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic 16,817 79.68% 1st Won [74]
2016 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		3,383 80.20% 1st 50,531 99.23% 1st Won [75][76]
2018 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic 37,419 81.94% 1st Won [39]
2020 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic 47,688 84.87% 1st Won [77]
2022 New York State Assembly (66th) Democratic
Working Families 		37,666 99.11% 1st Won [33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Biography.
  2. ^ a b c Out.
  3. ^ a b Red Book 2013, p. 279.
  4. ^ Wife 2022.
  5. ^ a b Housing 1990.
  6. ^ Hertzog 1996, p. 143.
  7. ^ Ruth 1997.
  8. ^ Announce 1997.
  9. ^ Contributions.
  10. ^ Fund 1998, pp. 10, 64.
  11. ^ Ruth Endorse 1997.
  12. ^ Hevesi 1997.
  13. ^ Duane 1991.
  14. ^ Pagan 1993.
  15. ^ Ferrer 2005.
  16. ^ Thompson 2009.
  17. ^ Wiley 2021.
  18. ^ Stringer 2025.
  19. ^ Tracy 2024.
  20. ^ No 1990.
  21. ^ Campaign 1990.
  22. ^ Sarandon 1990.
  23. ^ Draw 1990.
  24. ^ NOW 1990.
  25. ^ a b c Hertzog 1996, p. 145.
  26. ^ Stonewall 1990.
  27. ^ Shollenberger 1990.
  28. ^ VID 1990.
  29. ^ Unhappy 1992.
  30. ^ a b Election 2006.
  31. ^ a b Election 2008.
  32. ^ a b Election 2012.
  33. ^ a b Election 2022.
  34. ^ Ohrenstein 1994.
  35. ^ Decline 1994.
  36. ^ Swap 2018.
  37. ^ Swap 2 2018.
  38. ^ Fink 2018.
  39. ^ a b Election 2018.
  40. ^ First 1992.
  41. ^ March 1992.
  42. ^ Pay 1992.
  43. ^ Red Book 2003, p. 292.
  44. ^ Red Book 2013, p. 280.
  45. ^ Elector 1996.
  46. ^ Gay Rights 1993.
  47. ^ Lobby 1993.
  48. ^ No Vote 1993.
  49. ^ Pope 1995.
  50. ^ Invocation 2008.
  51. ^ Conversion 2013.
  52. ^ Partner 1992.
  53. ^ Adultery 1993.
  54. ^ Angry 1995.
  55. ^ Capital 1994.
  56. ^ Needle 1991.
  57. ^ Megan 1995.
  58. ^ Megan 1998.
  59. ^ Contest 2003.
  60. ^ Aim 2004.
  61. ^ Pass 2023.
  62. ^ Horse 2023.
  63. ^ Gerrymander 1992.
  64. ^ Vote 2017.
  65. ^ Jets 2005.
  66. ^ Foderaro 2013.
  67. ^ Garden 2019.
  68. ^ Election 1996.
  69. ^ Election 1998.
  70. ^ Election 2000.
  71. ^ Election 2002.
  72. ^ Election 2004.
  73. ^ Election 2010.
  74. ^ Election 2014.
  75. ^ Primary 2016.
  76. ^ Election 2016.
  77. ^ Election 2020.

Works cited

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Books

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  • Hertzog, Mark (1996). The Lavender Vote: Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals in American Electoral Politics. New York University Press. ISBN 0814735290.
  • Michaels, Ian, ed. (1998). A Decade of Reform: 1988-1998 (PDF). New York City Campaign Finance Board. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 18, 2025.
  • Neiles, Edward, ed. (2013). New York Red Book (104 ed.). New York Legal Publishing.
  • Ryan-Germani, Mary, ed. (2003). New York Red Book (97 ed.). New York Legal Publishing.

Election reports

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News

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Newspapers

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Web

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New York State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 61st district
1991–1992 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 66th district
1993–present 		Incumbent
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