Al Taylor (politician)

Alfred Taylor is the Assembly member for the 71st District of the New York State Assembly. He is a Democrat. The district includes portions of Hamilton Heights, Harlem and Washington Heights in Manhattan.

Life and career
A lifelong resident of Harlem, Taylor was a troubled youth who was able to turn to then-Assemblymember Bruce Wright, who mentored him and gave him an interest in community service. Taylor then served in the U.S. Army's military police while earning his GED, then graduated from Lehman College. He later earned a degree in Master of Divinity, with a concentration in Church Development, from Nyack College-Alliance Theological Seminary.

Taylor served for many years as the Chief of Staff for his predecessor, Herman D. Farrell Jr., while also serving as a Democratic District Leader and as the pastor of Infinity Mennonite Church. He is married with five children.

New York Assembly
Assemblymember Herman D. Farrell Jr., first elected in 1974, decided to step down midterm in 2017 at the age of 85. Taylor, his Chief of Staff, had long been seen as the heir apparent for the seat. With Farrell vacating the seat midterm, New York state law allowed for the Democratic District committee for the Assembly district to select the candidate for the general election, bypassing a primary for seat. Taylor, being the district leader, who ultimately leads the district committee, easily was chosen as the candidate.

With the seat overwhelmingly Democratic, Taylor won the seat unopposed, and was sworn in soon after.