NY Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay to Step Down, Won’t Seek Re-election in 2026

TL/DR –

New York state Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay announced he will not be seeking reelection in 2026. Barclays has represented the 120th Assembly District since 2002 and held different roles during his tenure, including Assembly Ways and Means Committee’s ranking member, assistant minority leader, and deputy minority leader. He was elected minority leader in 2020.

New York’s Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay Announces Early Departure

Will Barclay, the New York state Assembly Minority Leader, revealed his plans not to run for reelection in 2026 and his imminent step down as the Republican leader, fostering a smooth transition to fresh leadership early in the legislative session. Barclay, who currently represents the 120th state Assembly District encompassing Oswego County, northern Cayuga and Jefferson counties, first won his Assembly seat in 2002.

During his term, Barclay served in various roles including the ranking member of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, assistant minority leader, chair of the Minority Joint Conference Committee, and vice chair of the Minority Program Committee. In January 2020, he became the minority leader, taking over from Brian Kolb who resigned following a DWI charge in a state vehicle.

With a 23-year tenure, Barclay expressed his deep-rooted commitment to the 120th District and Central New York, emphasizing his efforts to represent constituent interests and foster policies promoting state-wide prosperity.

Ed Cox, Chair of the New York Republican Party, commended Barclay’s dedication and leadership. He credited Barclay for staunchly defending public safety, fiscal responsibility, and common sense amidst dominant Democratic rule in Albany.

Central New York has a history of fostering representatives in Albany’s leadership positions. Notable examples include Republican state Sen. John DeFrancisco and state Sen. Dave Valesky, who both held significant leadership roles before their departure from the political scene.

The pressing task for Assembly Republicans is to elect a new leader for the 2026 legislative session already in progress. However, the Republicans have been the minority in the 150-member state Assembly since the 1970s.

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