# Laura Gillen

Laura Anne Gillen (born July 10, 1969) is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 4th congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the town supervisor of Hempstead, New York. Her district includes central and southern Nassau County, a suburban area on Long Island.

## Early life and education

Gillen was born on July 10, 1969, in Rockville Centre, New York and grew up in Baldwin with her four siblings. She attended Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead before earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from Georgetown University in 1991.
After graduating, Gillen worked at an entertainment agency before traveling abroad. She became a scuba diving instructor in Thailand and later volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity, an organization founded by Mother Teresa, in Kolkata, India.
Upon returning to the United States, she enrolled at New York University School of Law, where she earned a Juris Doctor in 2000.

## Legal career

Gillen began her legal career as an associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel, where she worked until 2005. She then practiced commercial litigation at the Uniondale-based law firm Westerman Ball Ederer Miller Zucker & Sharfstein. Following her time in local government, Gillen worked as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University Law School.

## Early political career

In 2017, Gillen narrowly defeated incumbent Anthony J. Santino for Hempstead Town Supervisor, becoming the first Democrat in 100 years elected to the position. In that election, Gillen was outspent by $1.2 million dollars and won by a margin of 2,268 votes.
During her 2017 campaign for Supervisor, Gillen criticized Santino's treatment of fellow town board members Bruce Blakeman and Erin King-Sweeney. The two town board members took issue with a Santino proposal to restrict board members from taking more than $125,000 in outside income. While Santino denied it, the two attorneys argued that it was an attempt to throw them off the board. Blakeman would later cross party lines to endorse Gillen in October.
In May 2018, Gillen released a five year capital plan which included rehabilitation of a town 311 facility and a water testing lab and $160 million in capital highway spending.

## U.S. House of Representatives
### Elections
#### 2022

In 2022, Gillen ran for the New York's 4th congressional district in 2022 United States House of Representatives elections. The seat was being vacated by incumbent Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice. Gillen won the Democratic primary, but lost the general election to Republican Anthony D'Esposito.

#### 2024

Gillen announced she would run against D'Esposito again in 2024. She defeated him in the general election, flipping the seat. During her campaign, she said she opposed the implementation of congestion pricing in lower Manhattan.

### Tenure

In 2025, Gillen was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for the Laken Riley Act.
On March 6, 2025, Gillen was one of ten Democrats in Congress who joined all of their Republican colleagues in voting to censure Democratic congressman Al Green for interrupting President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address.

### Committee assignments

For the 119th Congress:
* Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
** Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
** Subcommittee on Aviation
* Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
** Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
** Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

### Caucus Memberships

* New Democrat Coalition

## Personal life

Gillen is married to Christopher Finegan, a producer. They have four children and live in Rockville Centre, New York. She is Catholic.

## Electoral history

US House election, 2022: New York District 4 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Anthony D'Esposito | 129,353 | 47.63% |
| | Conservative | Anthony D'Esposito | 11,269 | 4.15% |
| | Total | Anthony D'Esposito | 140,622 | 51.78% |
| | Democratic | Laura Gillen | 130,871 | 48.19% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 67 | 0.02% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 271,560 | 100% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |
US House election, 2024: New York District 4 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Laura Gillen | 190,569 | 50.75% |
| | Common Sense Party | Laura Gillen | 1,191 | 0.32% |
| | Total | Laura Gillen | 191,760 | 51.07% |
| | Republican | Anthony D'Esposito | 169,641 | 45.18% |
| | Conservative | Anthony D'Esposito | 13,516 | 3.60% |
| | Total | Anthony D'Esposito (incumbent) | 183,157 | 48.77% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 601 | 0.16% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 375,518 | 100% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |