Asm. Keith Powers — The Commons Gallery

Keith Powers represents AD-74, a D+60 Manhattan district where Democrats hold 68.2% of voter registrations against just 8.5% Republican, and where the seat has been Safe D across all modeled 2026 scenarios; Powers himself ran uncontested in 2024, continuing a pattern for the district in which prior holders won with margins ranging from 66.2 to 76.2 points in contested races. The district is a high-density, majority-renter urban constituency with a median household income of $121,922, a 73.3% bachelor's degree or higher attainment rate, a homeownership rate of just 22.6%, and a racial composition of 58.4% white, 16.0% Hispanic, 15.9% Asian, and 7.3% Black. In his first session, Powers has sponsored 12 bills, with the heaviest concentration in New York City Administrative Code (4 bills), followed by Election and Tax law (2 bills each), and single bills spanning Business Corporation, Education, Environmental Conservation, and Penal law. Top lobbying sectors active in the district context and the breadth of his NYC Administrative Code focus signal alignment with municipal governance and local regulatory priorities.AI

Vulnerability Index AD-74

Base lean: D+69

Favorable D

Safe D

Neutral

Safe D

Favorable R

Safe D

Limited contested election data — registration lean used as primary signal
Ran uncontested in most recent election

Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+69). Base lean blends voter registration (40%) with recent contested general election margins (60%), using up to the last 4 general elections with margins under 40 points. Ratings: Safe D/R = 15+ pts, Likely = 8–14 pts, Lean = 3–7 pts, Toss-up = within 2 pts. Generic ballot from Silver Bulletin (Nate Silver), as of 5/1/2026. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.

Electoral History AD-74

General Elections

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Margin
2024	Harvey D. Epstein 100.0% (42,651)	Uncontested	—
2022	Harvey Epstein 83.1% (30,173)	Bryan Cooper 16.9% (6,138)	66.2pts
2020	Harvey Epstein 100.0% (46,749)	Uncontested	—
2018	Harvey D. Epstein 87.4% (36,535)	Bryan Cooper 11.2% (4,694)	76.2pts
2016	Brian P. Kavanagh 81.7% (39,878)	Frank Scala 15.1% (7,363)	66.6pts
2014	Brian P. Kavanagh 85.0% (16,881)	Bryan A. Cooper 15.0% (2,973)	70.0pts
2012	Brian P. Kavanagh 100.0% (34,875)	Uncontested	—
2010	Brian P. Kavanagh 84.2% (23,071)	Dena Winokur 15.8% (4,332)	68.4pts
2008	Brian P. Kavanagh 85.3% (38,777)	Bryan А. Cooper 14.7% (6,684)	70.6pts
2006	Brian P. Kavanagh 74.6% (21,875)	Sylvia M. Friedman 13.2% (3,855)	61.4pts
2004	Steven Sanders 84.7% (40,606)	David Berkowitz 15.3% (7,354)	69.4pts
2002	Steven Sanders 76.3% (20,447)	Christopher B. Spuches 19.8% (5,309)	56.5pts
2000	Carmen E. Arroyo 95.8% (19,389)	Emmanuel Wansi 2.9% (588)	92.9pts
1998	Carmen E. Arroyo 97.0% (12,763)	Carmen Е. Arroyo 1.8% (234)	95.2pts
1996	Carmen E. Arroyo 97.9% (18,275)	Agustin Alamo 2.1% (395)	95.8pts

Primary Elections

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Margin
2018 (Democratic)	Harvey D. Epstein 63.0% (10,517)	Akshay A. Vaishampayan 19.2% (3,202)	43.8pts

Special Elections

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Margin
2018	Harvey Epstein 90.1% (4,157)	Bryan Cooper 5.4% (248)	84.7pts
2006	Sylvia M. Friedman 70.9% (2,728)	Frank J. Scala 29.1% (1,120)	41.8pts

Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts. District history reflects 2022 redistricted boundaries.

Voter Registration

68%

23%

Dem 68.2% Rep 8.5% Ind/Other 23.3%

District 74 Profile

Population 128,796

Median income $121,922

Median rent $2,576

Homeownership 22.6%

Education (BA+) 73.3%

Poverty rate 16.0%

Uninsured rate 2.8%

Unemployment rate 5.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024).

Demographics

White 58.4%

Black 7.3%

Hispanic 16.0%

Asian 15.9%

Median age 36.4

Foreign born 24.8%

Limited English households 7.0%

Veterans 1.7%

Disability rate 10.7%

Commute Mode

Drive alone 4.9%

Public transit 35.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2024). Race and ethnicity figures may not sum to 100% — Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity category that overlaps with racial groups.

Legislative Activity (2025–2026)

12

9

Years in office 1

Bill sponsorship from NYS Open Legislation API. Joint hearing appearances from NYS Senate hearing transcripts.

Floor Session Activity 2025–2026

A10541 PASSED 2026-03-30

Amend Education Law regarding certificate of residence policies for community colleges

A10350 PASSED 2026-03-09

An act to amend chapter 274 of the Laws of 2010 relating to repair of damaged pesticide containers

A07777 / S01099 PASSED 2025-06-17

Freedom to Read Act - amending Education Law to empower school libraries to develop diverse, developmentally appropriate collections

The New York State Assembly passed the 'Freedom to Read Act' (A07777/S01099) on June 17, 2025, after extensive debate over the bill's delegation of authority to the State Education Commissioner. Sponsored by Assemblyman Simone, the bill directs the Commissioner to establish policies ensuring school libraries develop diverse, developmentally appropriate collections. Supporters argued the measure addresses real censorship concerns, citing examples of inappropriate book challenges such as removal of science texts. Critics, including Assemblymen Gandolfo, Bologna, Durso, and Fitzpatrick, expressed concerns that the bill shifts decision-making power from local school districts to the state level, potentially undermining parental involvement and local control. The bill does not explicitly define "developmentally appropriate" and leaves appeal procedures unclear. Republicans generally opposed the measure, though the Democratic majority voted in favor. Assemblymen Bologna and Durso voted against the bill, citing concerns about centralized state authority over local school boards.

A03665-A 2025-06-10

An act to repeal paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of subdivision 5 of Section 36 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, relating to limitations on the submitting of a question to the qualified electors of a city when there is a question submitted by a charter commission

A04765 PASSED 2024-06-06

Constitutional Amendment relating to State Supreme Court justices

The Assembly passed a constitutional amendment removing the 50,000-population metric cap on State Supreme Court justices, allowing the Legislature to increase judgeships without constitutional constraint. Sponsor Asm. Bores argued the cap is arbitrary and prevents adequate judicial resources in growing areas, and that removing it gives the Legislature control over judge allocation rather than leaving it to the Office of Court Administration. The bill is supported by bar associations, business groups, and court reform organizations citing justice system backlogs. However, Republicans and some Democrats opposed the measure, arguing it removes a safeguard against political manipulation of judicial appointments and could disadvantage rural areas by allowing OCA to reassign judges across jurisdictions based on funding rather than population need. Asm. Goodell contended the real problem is too many lawsuits, not too few judges, and urged focus on reducing litigation through arbitration rather than adding expensive judgeships.

A04765 PASSED 2024-06-06

Constitutional Amendment relating to State Supreme Court justices

The Assembly passed a constitutional amendment removing the 50,000-population cap on State Supreme Court justices, giving the Legislature authority to increase judgeships without the current constitutional limitation. Sponsor Asm. Bores argued the cap, unchanged for 63 years, prevents adequate judicial resources in growing areas and cites support from bar associations and business groups concerned about litigation delays harming New York's competitiveness. Opponents including Asm. Ra, Smullen, and Walsh raised concerns that removing objective allocation criteria could enable political manipulation of judge distribution and disadvantage rural areas that rely on elected judges accountable to local voters. Asm. Goodell argued the real problem is too many lawsuits, not too few judges, and suggested reducing litigation through arbitration rather than adding expensive judgeships. The bill passed with Democratic support, though some Republicans and at least one Democrat voted against it.

A07396-B PASSED 2024-05-30

An act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law, in relation to the availability of technical assistance grants in brownfield site remedial programs

The Assembly passed legislation expanding access to technical assistance grants for communities dealing with contaminated brownfield sites. Sponsor Asm. Lee (A07396-B) shared her personal experience discovering that a parking lot across from her daughter's school was the site of the largest thermometer factory in the country, heavily contaminated with mercury—a known neurotoxin. Lee explained that her community was initially denied access to technical assistance grants and had to rely on outside help from the Manhattan Borough President. The bill allows community boards to qualify for grants to enhance community input and provide resources for residents to advocate for their children's safety and hold developers accountable.

A05040 / S____ PASSED 2023-06-09

An act to amend the Judiciary Law, in relation to enacting the "Hope Card Act"

The Assembly passed the Hope Card Act, making New York the sixth state to adopt wallet-sized laminated cards for domestic violence survivors with orders of protection. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Clark, the bill empowers survivors to share the cards with employers, schools, and neighbors to inform them of protection orders and enforcement procedures. Assemblywoman Walsh noted the practical benefit, as traditional orders of protection often deteriorate from being carried in purses and pockets. The bill also enhances law enforcement's ability to enforce the protections.

A05983 2023-03-31

An act to amend the Judiciary Law, in relation to appointments to the office of associate judge of the court of appeals

The New York State Assembly debated A05983, sponsored by Assemblyman Chuck Lavine, which would allow the Governor to use an existing judicial nomination list to fill a vacancy created when an Associate Judge is promoted to Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. The bill aims to address a prolonged vacancy on the seven-member court, which currently has only six judges. Supporters, including Lavine and Assemblyman Fred Thiele, argued the measure would ensure a full complement of judges and prevent case backlogs, citing instances where cases have been sent back for reargument due to lack of a majority. However, the bill faced significant opposition from both sides of the aisle. Critics including Assemblywoman Aileen Walsh, Assemblyman Andrew Ra, Assemblyman Keith Brown, and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano raised concerns about fairness to potential applicants not on the existing list, constitutional due process issues, and the appearance of a political deal being struck mid-process. Walsh noted that individuals interested in Associate Judge positions but not the Chief Judge role would be foreclosed from applying, potentially limiting diversity on the court. Ra questioned the timing and suggested an effective date delay would be more appropriate. The debate continued at the time of this transcript segment, with no vote recorded.

Source: Official NY Assembly floor session transcripts (Granicus). AI-processed. Includes sessions from 2023 onward where transcripts are available.

Bill Focus Areas 2025–2026

bills

Grouped by law section from sponsored Assembly bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation API.

Lobbying Activity

No lobbying disclosures on record for this member in the available dataset (JCOPE filings targeting Assembly members).

Source: NY Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government via data.ny.gov.