New York state Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay will not run for reelection in 2026 and will step down as Republican leader of the chamber in the coming days, “allowing for a smooth transition to new leadership early in the legislative session,” he announced Thursday.
“This is the right time for me to move on. I hold the deepest respect for this institution and will always be profoundly appreciative of the trust Assembly Republicans placed in me to serve as Minority Leader,” Barclay said in a statement.
Barclay currently represents the 120th state Assembly District, which includes Oswego County and parts of northern Cayuga and Jefferson counties.
He was first elected to the Assembly in 2002 and held such roles as ranking member of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, assistant minority leader, chair of the Minority Joint Conference Committee and vice chair of the Minority Program Committee.
He served as deputy minority leader from 2012 to January 2020 when he was elected minority leader, replacing Brian Kolb who stepped down after being charged with a DWI in a state vehicle.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the citizens of the 120th Assembly District. During my 23-year tenure, I’ve done my best to represent the interests of constituents and advance policies that give every resident of this state the opportunity to succeed and prosper,” Barclay said. “The 120th District has been my family’s home for generations. Regardless of what professional role I’m in or where my future takes me, my roots will always be firmly planted in Central New York. My love for the region, the communities within it, and the people who have been by my side will never fade.”
New York Republican Party Chair Ed Cox thanked Barclay for his years of service and the example he set for future leadership.
“Will Barclay has been a tireless champion for New York families, taxpayers and Republican values throughout his service in the State Assembly, and especially during his tenure as Assembly Republican Leader,” Cox said in a statement. “Amidst one-party Democratic rule in Albany, Will never backed down from standing up for public safety, fiscal responsibility and common sense. He led with integrity, seriousness and a deep respect for the institution and the people he served, even when the political headwinds were strong.”
Central New York has had a recent history of representatives in leadership positions in Albany. Before he retired in 2018, Republican state Sen. John DeFrancisco, who represented parts of Onondaga and Cayuga counties, served as Senate deputy majority leader and came close to being majority leader. Before he was defeated in a Democratic primary, state Sen. Dave Valesky was the deputy leader of a breakaway group of Democrats in the Senate who caucused with the Republicans to maintain a balance of power in the Legislature.
Assembly Republicans will now have to choose a new leader with the 2026 legislative session already underway.
Republicans have been in the minority in the 150-member state Assembly since the 1970s.