Monroe County Democratic Legislator Sabrina LaMar is teaming up with Republicans to form what she's calling a "majority caucus” — a move that will make her the first Black woman to serve as president of the county legislature.
LaMar said she will act as a bridge between the 14 Republicans and 14 other Democrats who make up the legislature.
She said the vote to make her president was 15 to 14, with none of the other Democrats voting for her.
“None of my Democratic colleagues voted for me," LaMar said. "But the Republicans saw something in me and voted for me.”
That’s because last year, LaMar was a member of the Democratic Black and Asian Caucus – a breakaway group of legislators who felt their voices were not being heard in the legislature.
As president in the 2022 session, she will again caucus with the Republicans.
“If your voice isn’t heard, then you’re not able to effectively represent your constituents," LaMar said. "So sometimes it's necessary to break away or to be elevated in order to do what’s right for your constituents.”
LaMar said she has no intention of switching parties, and that this decision will allow her to better serve the residents who elected her.
“I’ve always been a Democrat," she said. "I will remain a Democrat and I have no intentions of being anything but a Democrat. Period.”
It is a swift rise for LaMar, who was appointed to her district seat less than three years ago.
In that time, she has not been afraid to challenge the big names in the local Democratic Party — including filing an ethics complaint against Congressman Joe Morelle in 2020.
"I also believe that it's important for someone to be that mediator,” LaMar said. “Someone who has that temperament to reach across the aisle and to work with both parties. And I think I've demonstrated that over the past two years, three years, as a county legislator. And I'm hoping to build upon that."
LaMar represents the 27th Legislative District, which covers Rochester’s 19th Ward.
LaMar also becomes the first Democrat and city of Rochester legislator to serve as president in nearly 35 years.
“It feels amazing and I’m honored that the community and my colleagues believe in me enough to vote for me, to vote me into this position," she said.
There is some pushback, and there are those who are not supportive of LaMar's new position, including the chair of the Monroe County Democratic Committee, who has issued a statement:
“When all the votes were counted after both the June Primary and November General elections, the results showed that Monroe County voters had resoundingly rejected politicians who made decisions based on their desire to increase their own personal political power," Monroe County Democratic Committee Chair Zach King said. "In light of that, I find Legislator LaMar’s decision to join the Republican caucus solely for the purpose of being elected President of the Legislature to be extremely disappointing, but not surprising.”
“I think it’s unfortunate that the party chair didn’t take this as an opportunity to build that bridge between myself or the other side of the aisle," LaMar said.
LaMar is a mother of two and a grandmother to three. She lost both a brother and a nephew to murder. She says she plans to focus on supporting efforts that help families of murder victims and tackling the controversial redistricting issue.