Claudia Tenney

Claudia Tenney is an American politician, attorney, and businesswoman serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 24th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she previously represented New York's 22nd congressional district from 2017 to 2019 and served in the New York State Assembly from 2011 to 2017. Tenney is known as a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump and a prominent voice within the House Freedom Caucus.

Early life and education

Claudia Tenney was born in New Hartford, New York, to the late John R. Tenney, a longtime New York Supreme Court justice, and the late Betty J. Tenney. She grew up in Oneida County and attended local schools before enrolling at Colgate University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature. Following her undergraduate studies, Tenney pursued a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Her early professional experiences included working as a journalist for the Observer-Dispatch in Utica and as a legal clerk for the New York Court of Appeals.

Early career

Before entering electoral politics, Tenney practiced law in Central New York and managed the family-owned business, Mid-York Press, in Sherrill, New York. Her political involvement began through work on various local and state Republican campaigns, including for Congressman Sherwood Boehlert. She first sought public office in 2010, running for the New York State Assembly seat vacated by David R. Townsend Jr.. After winning the Republican primary, she was elected to represent the Assembly's 101st district, which was renumbered as the 115th district after redistricting.

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenney was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2016, succeeding retiring Republican Richard L. Hanna in New York's 22nd congressional district. She served on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Small Business Committee during her first term. After a narrow defeat to Democrat Anthony Brindisi in the 2018 election, she successfully contested the 2020 election in the same district following a protracted legal battle. Following redistricting, she was elected in 2022 to represent the newly configured New York's 24th congressional district, defeating Steven Holden.

Political positions

Tenney is a conservative Republican with a voting record aligned with the House Freedom Caucus. She is a vocal supporter of the America First agenda, former President Donald Trump, and his policies on immigration, including support for the border wall. She has advocated for lower taxes, as evidenced by her vote for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and is a strong proponent of the Second Amendment. Tenney serves as the Chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party's Economic and Security working group and has been critical of the foreign policies of the Biden administration, particularly regarding relations with China and the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Electoral history

In her initial run for the New York State Assembly in 2010, Tenney defeated Democratic candidate Chadwick R. Davis. She won re-election to the Assembly in 2012 and 2014. Her first U.S. House campaign in 2016 saw her win a three-way Republican primary against George Phillips and Steve Wells before defeating Democratic nominee Kimberly A. Davis in the general election. She lost the 2018 rematch to Anthony Brindisi by a narrow margin before reclaiming the seat in the 2020 election after a court-ordered certification. In 2022, she was elected to represent New York's 24th congressional district, winning against Democratic candidate Steven Holden.

Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Category:New York (state) Republicans Category:New York (state) lawyers Category:Colgate University alumni Category:University of Cincinnati College of Law alumni