Brian Higgins

Brian Higgins
Born	Brian Michael Higgins 6 10, 1959
Birthplace	Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Politician, nonprofit executive
Known for	U.S. Representative for New York's 26th congressional district (2005–2024)
Education	Buffalo State College (BA, MA) Harvard University (MPA)
Spouse(s)	Mary Hannon
Children	2

Brian Michael Higgins (born October 6, 1959) is an American former politician who served as the U.S. Representative for New York's 26th and 27th congressional districts from January 3, 2005, until February 2, 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, Higgins represented a district encompassing Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and surrounding communities in western New York for nearly two decades. Born and raised in Buffalo, he built a career in public service that spanned local, state, and federal government, beginning with his election to the Buffalo Common Council in 1988, followed by six years in the New York State Assembly, and culminating in his lengthy tenure in Congress. Higgins earned degrees from Buffalo State College and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Throughout his congressional career, he focused on issues related to economic development in the Buffalo-Niagara region, infrastructure investment, waterfront revitalization, and healthcare policy. Following his resignation from Congress in early 2024, Higgins transitioned to a leadership role in the nonprofit sector, becoming president of Shea's Performing Arts Center in Buffalo.

Early Life

Brian Michael Higgins was born on October 6, 1959, in Buffalo, New York. He was raised in the city, growing up in one of Buffalo's working-class neighborhoods during a period when the region was experiencing significant economic transition as manufacturing industries declined. Buffalo, once a major industrial hub due to its position along the Great Lakes and the Erie Canal corridor, faced substantial job losses and population decline throughout the 1960s and 1970s—a reality that shaped Higgins's later political focus on economic revitalization and urban redevelopment.

Higgins's upbringing in Buffalo instilled in him a deep connection to the western New York community, and he remained a lifelong resident of the city throughout his political career. His early experiences in Buffalo would later inform his legislative priorities, particularly his efforts to revitalize the city's waterfront and attract economic investment to the region.

Education

Higgins pursued his higher education at Buffalo State College (now SUNY Buffalo State), where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree. He subsequently attended Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA). The graduate program at Harvard provided Higgins with formal training in public policy and government administration, complementing the practical political experience he had already begun to accumulate through his work in Buffalo city government. His educational background, combining local roots at Buffalo State with an Ivy League graduate program, reflected a trajectory common among politicians who seek to serve their home communities while drawing on broader policy expertise.

Career

Buffalo Common Council (1988–1993)

Higgins began his career in elected office in 1988 when he won a seat on the Buffalo Common Council, the legislative body of the City of Buffalo. He represented the South district on the council, succeeding James Keane. During his time on the Common Council, Higgins gained experience in municipal governance, dealing with issues of urban planning, city services, and local economic development at a time when Buffalo continued to face the challenges of deindustrialization and population loss. He served on the council until 1993, when he was succeeded by Bonnie Kane Lockwood.

His tenure on the Common Council provided Higgins with a foundation in grassroots governance and an understanding of the day-to-day concerns of Buffalo residents. The experience of working at the municipal level would inform his subsequent service at the state and federal levels, where he consistently advocated for policies aimed at revitalizing western New York.

New York State Assembly (1999–2004)

Following his time on the Buffalo Common Council, Higgins was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1998, representing the 145th district. He succeeded Richard J. Keane in the seat and served from January 1, 1999, through December 31, 2004. In the Assembly, Higgins represented the interests of his Buffalo-area constituents in the state legislature in Albany. His time in the Assembly further developed his legislative skills and broadened his policy portfolio beyond purely municipal concerns to encompass state-level issues including education funding, healthcare, and economic development.

During his six years in the Assembly, Higgins built relationships with other Democratic legislators and gained visibility as a political figure in western New York. His successor in the 145th Assembly district was Mark J. F. Schroeder, who later became mayor of Buffalo. Higgins left the Assembly at the end of 2004 after winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives (2005–2024)

Election to Congress

Higgins was first elected to Congress in 2004, winning the seat in New York's 27th congressional district that had been held by Republican Jack Quinn, who did not seek reelection. Higgins took office on January 3, 2005, and would go on to serve in the House of Representatives for nearly 19 years.

Following redistricting after the 2010 census, the boundaries of Higgins's district were redrawn, and the district was renumbered as New York's 26th congressional district beginning with the 113th Congress in 2013. Despite the renumbering, the district continued to encompass Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and surrounding communities in the western New York region.

Legislative Focus and Committee Work

Throughout his nearly two decades in Congress, Higgins served on several congressional committees and participated in numerous caucuses. He was a consistent advocate for economic development in the Buffalo-Niagara region, working to attract federal investment and support infrastructure projects that would benefit his constituents. His policy interests included waterfront revitalization along Buffalo's Lake Erie shoreline, healthcare access and research, and cross-border trade with Canada—an important issue given his district's proximity to the international border.

Higgins was a vocal proponent of redeveloping Buffalo's waterfront, viewing it as essential to the city's economic revival. The transformation of the Buffalo waterfront from underutilized industrial land into a mixed-use area with parks, residential developments, and commercial spaces became one of the signature issues of his career. He also advocated for federal funding for cancer research, an issue that connected to the presence of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo.

Higgins represented a solidly Democratic district and was reelected to Congress multiple times, generally winning by comfortable margins. His longevity in the seat reflected both the partisan composition of the district and his established constituent service operation in western New York.

Federal Election Commission Records

As a candidate for Congress, Higgins maintained campaign filings with the Federal Election Commission under candidate ID H4NY27076. His campaign finance records documented the fundraising and expenditures associated with his multiple reelection campaigns over the course of nearly two decades in office.

Resignation

Higgins resigned from Congress on February 2, 2024, before the completion of his term. He was succeeded in the 26th district by Tim Kennedy, a New York State Senator who won a special election to fill the vacancy. At the time of his departure, Higgins had served in the U.S. House of Representatives for approximately 19 years, making him one of the longer-serving members of Congress from western New York in recent decades.

Post-Congressional Career

Following his resignation from Congress, Higgins became president of Shea's Performing Arts Center, a historic theater and cultural institution in downtown Buffalo. His transition to leading a major nonprofit cultural organization reflected a continued commitment to the Buffalo community outside of elected office.

In December 2025, Higgins was named to the board of directors of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of the nation's leading cancer research and treatment institutions, headquartered in Buffalo. The appointment recognized his longstanding advocacy for cancer research during his time in Congress, where he had supported federal funding for cancer research initiatives over the course of his 19-year tenure representing the 26th and 27th congressional districts of New York.

Personal Life

Brian Higgins is married to Mary Hannon. The couple has two children. Higgins has maintained his residence in Buffalo throughout his career, reflecting his deep roots in the western New York community. His decision to remain in Buffalo, even while serving in Congress in Washington, D.C., underscored his connection to the district he represented.

Higgins's personal ties to Buffalo extended beyond his political career; his involvement with local institutions such as Shea's Performing Arts Center and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center after leaving Congress demonstrated a continued engagement with the civic and cultural life of the city.

Recognition

Higgins's nearly 19 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives made him one of the most prominent political figures in western New York during the early 21st century. His work on behalf of the Buffalo-Niagara region earned him recognition from various local and regional organizations over the course of his career.

His appointment to the board of directors of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in December 2025 was characterized as a recognition of his advocacy for cancer research during his congressional tenure. The Roswell Park board appointment, combined with his leadership role at Shea's Performing Arts Center, indicated the esteem in which Higgins was held within Buffalo's institutional community following his departure from Congress.

Higgins's career trajectory—from the Buffalo Common Council to the New York State Assembly to nearly two decades in the U.S. House of Representatives—represented a sustained arc of public service focused primarily on the interests of the Buffalo-Niagara region. His appearances on C-SPAN and other media outlets during his time in Congress brought attention to issues affecting western New York on a national platform.

Legacy

Brian Higgins's legacy is closely tied to the economic and physical transformation of Buffalo during the period of his congressional service. When he first entered Congress in 2005, Buffalo was widely perceived as a city in decline, struggling with population loss, unemployment, and deteriorating infrastructure. By the time he left office in 2024, the city had experienced notable revitalization, particularly along its waterfront and in its downtown core, though the extent to which any single legislator can be credited with such broad trends remains a subject of discussion among policy analysts.

His consistent focus on waterfront redevelopment became one of the defining aspects of his career in Congress. Higgins argued that reconnecting Buffalo to its Lake Erie waterfront could serve as a catalyst for broader economic renewal, and he worked to secure federal resources to support this vision. The development of Canalside and other waterfront projects in Buffalo during his tenure represented tangible outcomes associated with this effort.

Higgins's post-congressional career as president of Shea's Performing Arts Center and as a board member of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center positioned him to continue influencing the civic landscape of Buffalo from outside elected office. His career demonstrated a model of political engagement rooted in a single community, with each successive office—from city council member to state assemblymember to congressman—representing an expanded platform from which to advocate for the same region.

His tenure in Congress spanned significant periods in American politics, including the financial crisis of 2008, the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and the political upheavals of the late 2010s and early 2020s. Throughout these events, Higgins represented a traditionally Democratic district in western New York, maintaining electoral viability across changing political conditions.

The seat he vacated in 2024 was filled by Tim Kennedy through a special election, continuing the tradition of Democratic representation in Buffalo's congressional district.