|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Rochester City Councilmember Mary Lupien, whose term ends at the end of 2027, announced today she will not seek reelection. Lupien has endorsed her preferred successor, fellow progressive Rachel Barnhart, who currently is a Monroe County legislator.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of the East District. Together, we’ve shown that when we invest in people, we build a safer, healthier, and more compassionate city,” says Lupien.
Her two-term tenure on City Council has been defined by pushing for progressive, left-leaning policies that focused on housing, public safety, and health. Lupien says passing Good Cause Eviction protections, codifying Rochester’s Sanctuary City policy, bringing the Advance Peace violence prevention model to the city, and expanding community birth doula training through the Healthy Baby Network were all achievements over her time in office.
Those goals sometimes put her at odds with others on City Council. Councilmember Michael Patterson has been a frequent sparring partner for Lupien. He has called Lupien and other councilmembers “a socialist bloc” when it comes to their voting histories.
Lupien ran as a progressive for mayor last year, pitching herself as an option to the left of incumbent Malik Evans. However, Evans cruised to victory in the primary with 57% of the vote, compared to Lupien’s 33%.
After the contest, she lamented the extremely low 20% turnout of Democratic voters in the city and also commented on the over $500,000 spent by the Evans campaign in the race. The Working Families Party declined to endorse a candidate in the race, so her name did not appear on a general election ballot.
By endorsing Barnhart to carry on in her stead, Lupien wants progressive continuity for the East District.
“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m confident Rachel Barnhart will continue that work,” Lupien says. “Rachel has spent years serving our community by asking tough questions, holding county government accountable, and fighting for the people of Rochester.”
She also praises Barnhart’s record on affordable housing, government transparency and accountability, and says the county legislator has “challenged powerful interests when our community deserved better.” Barnhart recently spoke out about a Monroe County sheriff’s deputy’s presence at the America 250th celebration event in Washington, D.C.
“Mary has left an extraordinary mark on Rochester,” Barnhart says. “She helped transform how our city responds to mental health crises, strengthened protections for renters and immigrant families, invested in evidence-based violence prevention, and consistently challenged us to build a city centered on care, dignity, and opportunity. I’m honored to have her support and committed to building on that foundation.”
While the candidate petitioning for the 2027 elections in Rochester has not begun yet, Barnhart’s acceptance of Lupien’s endorsement indicates she plans to run for City Council.
Elected to three terms on the county Legislature, Barnhart’s current term ends in 2026. She ran unsuccessfully for a range of positions—state Assembly in 2016, Rochester mayor in 2017, and Congress in 2018—before being elected to the county Legislature in 2019.
Barnhart’s base of voter support has always been strongest in the eastern part of Rochester.
Lupien plans to focus on pursuing a degree to become a licensed mental health counselor, a path she embarked on earlier this year.
“Service isn’t tied to a title,” Lupien says. “It’s showing up where you’re needed most.”
This news comes months after Alissa Brennan, senior deputy county attorney for Monroe County, announced her bid for the East District. Brennan released a statement following Lupien’s endorsement of Barnhart, contrasting the county legislator’s background with her own.
“Legislator Barnhart is a long-term political candidate, who has run for a wide range of seats; I am a hard-working, first-generation professional and mother of two who is offering a new generation of leadership grounded in service, collaboration, and accountability,” she says.
Notable contributors include City Councilmember Mitch Gruber’s political campaign committee Friends of Mitch Gruber, Brighton town board members Nate Salzman and Clara Sanguenetti, and Brennan’s father-in-law, John Brennan.
Brennan seems to have already drawn fire from Barnhart. In an announcement email, Barnhart said Rochester’s “power brokers” have “already recruited a candidate” for the East District.
“The primary is in June 2027, but they’re not waiting, and we can’t either,” she says, requesting support.
This story has been updated.
Jacob Schermerhorn is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and data journalist.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified John Brennan and Mitch Gruber’s political campaign committee.
The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. See “Leave a Reply” below to discuss on this post. Comments of a general nature may be submitted to the Letters page by emailing [email protected].