Career
Elected to the State Senate in 2002, Parker is the Ranking Minority Member on the Energy and Telecommunications Committee, as well as a member of standing committees on Environmental Conservation, Higher Education, Insurance, Commerce, and Veterans. He is also the chairman of the Senate Democratic Task Force on New Americans, as well as that of an Alternative Energy Future.
In the September 9, 2008 Democratic primary, Parker held off a strong challenge from New York City Councilmembers Simcha Felder and Kendall Stewart, and held onto his seat with a little less than half the vote.
Prior to his election-where he defeated former City Councilman Noach Dear in a very tightly-contested Democratic primary-Parker served in numerous capacities. Chiefly as the Special Assistant to former Comptroller H. Carl McCall, but also as a New York City Urban Fellow, a Special Assistant to former Manhattan Borough President and mayoral candidate Ruth Messinger, legislative aide to former City Councilwoman Una Clarke, and Special Assistant to Assemblyman N. Nick Perry.
He has also served as Project Manager with the New York State Urban Development Corporation, and as a consultant to Paine Webber. In addition to his work in the State Senate, Parker is also a professor of African-American Studies and Political Science at several colleges within the City University of New York system, primarily Brooklyn College, where he is also a faculty advisor to student organizations.
In the 2012 elections, Parker avoided an upset by defeating Conservative candidate Mindy Meyer by a comfortable margin.
Read more about this topic: Kevin Parker (politician)
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