Laura Gillen

A principled public servant for the people 

Laura Gillen is a mom, former Hempstead Town supervisor, and former litigator running to represent New York’s 4th Congressional District. In 2017, Gillen was elected to serve as Hempstead Town supervisor, charged with managing America’s largest township, her birthplace, and the township where she is raising her family. Gillen graduated from Georgetown University and New York University’s School of Law, after which she began practicing commercial litigation. Gillen has also participated in a pro bono program where she represented victims of domestic violence. As town supervisor of the largest township in the United States, Gillen worked with leaders from both parties to invest more than $50 million to fix roads, lower taxes, support veterans, and pass good governance measures. She currently lives in Rockville Centre with her husband and four children.

A proven leader for Long Island families

Gillen is a proven leader with a distinguished record of advocating for her community. As the Hempstead Town supervisor, Gillen spearheaded efforts to revitalize the town’s infrastructure and administered the town’s nearly $500 million budget. She commenced litigation to recover damages for contaminants in the public water supply, and passed critical legislation relating to sexual harassment, veterans benefits, and ethics reform. She also engaged in critical anti-corruption efforts. In Congress, Gillen plans to take on the unfair financial practices, like price gouging, that leave Americans unable to pay for their necessities. She also promises to tenaciously fight for reproductive rights while promoting access to affordable, quality health care. “No woman should have to experience harassment and stigma when in need of an abortion procedure,” Gillen has said, noting that abortion is “about a fundamental human right to decide what happens with my own body — a right we should preserve for all women in this country.” She also aims to continue her environmental advocacy, protecting New York’s coastlines and our planet. 

A critical race for the Democratic majority

If Gillen wins the Democratic primary, she will run in a rematch against Republican anti-choice extremist Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who currently holds the seat. D’Esposito has sided with Republicans who want to push for a national ban on abortion, making this a critical must-flip seat in the 2024 election. Gillen will likely face several primary contenders, and we know with the support of the EMILYs List community she can win and achieve the victory critical to reestablishing the Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.