Marjorie Byrnes: Called to serve.
written by L Burghardt
Marjorie Byrnes has been serving in some capacity virtually her whole adult life.
Marjorie spent 32 years within the court system serving as an assistant district attorney for Monroe County, as court attorney to Livingston County Court Judge Dennis Cohen and as an elected judge for the City of Rochester. Once retired, she also served as a Caldonia village trustee from 2017 – 2019.
Marjorie was just settling into retirement and starting to travel when someone reached out to her to run for the Assembly seat based in Livingston County. The recurring calls were the result of some constituents in Livingston County expressing concern for the current incumbent’s health. Upon personally coming to the same conclusion, Marjorie agreed to run in a Primary, hoping to maintain a strong representation for the 133rd Assembly District. This was a very difficult decision as the incumbent was a Representative she liked and had always supported. Despite obtaining the endorsement of only Livingston County Republicans, roughly half of her district (Monroe and Steuben endorsed the incumbent), she easily secured the Primary victory. She then ran on the platform of promoting the needs of her constituents and changing the image of the Republican Party in the 133rd by promoting ethics. She was successful in her election bid and served Assembly District 133 from 2019 – 2024.
Upon her arrival in Albany, she was absolutely dumbfounded when she discovered that there were virtually NO REPUBLICAN WOMEN serving in the Albany legislature. There were six total, three in the Assembly and three in the Senate. Coming from an area rich in female elected representatives, this seemed unfathomable. After all, over half of the Legislative seats in NY are HELD BY WOMEN. Since only 6 of those 213 total seats belong to Republican women, you guessed it, the remaining majority of seats belong to Democrat women. Doesn’t one have to take a moment here and wonder exactly how this happens? Is it lack of support for female candidates by the party, or a more logical explanation that once people are elected, they stay for multiple terms allowing only small windows for male to female turnover.
What is it about the area in which Marjorie Byrnes lives and produces many powerful female politicians. Claudia Tenney, Pamela Helming and Marge’s successor Andrea Bailey, along with many women serving in local positions are prime examples. Is it because the notion of meritocracy, what you bring to the table, abounds in and around Livingston County? The Republican men in the 133rd District embraced Marjorie because she wanted to do right by her constituents and provide honest, ethical leadership. They did not care that she had previously run as a Democrat while living and working in Rochester. They took her at face value, saw a qualified candidate and ran with it. Until arriving in Albany, it seems that Marjorie thought every place in NY was like Livingston County.
So, what should women who are thinking of running consider?
Finances are number one. Even though Marge had strong backing from her Party, there weren’t abundant funds, so she knew she had to commit her personal finances in order to run. Time is another factor. Marge had recently retired after 32 years serving in the Monroe judicial system. For her, she agreed to serve a limited number of years, giving time for the Republican Committees to consider a future replacement. Andrea Bailey stands to serve many terms if that aligns with her personal goals as a public servant. Marjorie is a steadfast believer in being with your constituents, not just talking about them or at them. She is profoundly proud of her time spent at fire Stations, schools, seasonal events, gun club meetings, shooting ranges and dinners, and not just “political meetings”. “Go if they invite you, get out there and let them know you care” is how she has operated. A large volunteer base is a considerable asset. Be the candidate that fosters an atmosphere that inspires and attracts like-minded individuals who will roll up their sleeves. All this certainly aided in Assemblywoman Byrnes’ success and recognized effectiveness