For decades, Kara Hahn has been our hometown community advocate, committed to fighting for hardworking families, preserving our environment, and protecting our unique suburban way of life. Born and raised in Suffolk County, Kara’s mom who was a teacher and her dad, a volunteer firefighter, inspired Kara’s dedication to service at an early age.
As a small child, Kara often heard her father answer the call to service at all hours of the night as he rushed to fires and other emergencies in their community. After the devastation of Hurricane Gloria she and her brother joined their dad to clear trees throughout the area, helping the community recover however they could. She watched her mother fight to preserve land slated for development and spend her free time cleaning trash off the neighborhood roadway. Kara saw firsthand the importance of community camaraderie, and the value of hard work.
During her teen years, Kara mowed lawns, shoveled driveways, cleaned rooms and waitressed at the local Three Village Inn, she also worked at McDonald’s, Macy’s, and even Newsday delivering papers on her bicycle.
As a young woman, Kara endured difficult experiences that deepened her understanding of how tough life can be for hardworking women and families. As a senior in college, Kara faced the challenges of an unplanned, at-risk pregnancy. She doubled up on courses to get ahead on credits. And while caring for her new baby girl Karina by day, she quickly returned to night class, so that she could complete her degree to graduate with distinction. To make ends meet, Kara briefly relied on food stamps and other social safety-net services. While juggling parenting and graduate school and struggling to support her daughter, Kara also experienced and survived domestic violence at the hands of her partner. These events shaped the woman and public servant that Kara is today.
Earning her Masters in Social Work (MSW), Kara set out on her path of public service. While pursuing her degree, she worked with those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Later, she became an advocate for low-income working women, making sure they had access to child care for their children. Through her own experience as a single working mom, Kara knew that affordable, reliable care could unlock a woman’s potential and lead to a better life for families.
Always wanting to give back and work together to make a difference, as a homeowner and community member, Kara became an active leader in local civic, advocacy and not-for-profit organizations.
As a Legislator, Kara has been the go-to champion for families, the environment and women’s rights for over a decade. Rising to the Deputy Presiding Officer leadership post, among a very long list of accomplishments, Kara has authored laws to protect land and water from pollutants, led the charge to confront Long Island’s opioid epidemic, and worked to keep women and children safe from domestic abusers.
Kara is now running for Congress to make an even greater impact for the community where she grew up and continues to raise her family today. She knows that we must provide tax relief for Long Island’s homeowners and small businesses by removing the cap on state and local tax deductions and increasing access to affordable child care for working parents. She knows that a dollar on Long Island doesn’t go as far as a dollar in Montana and that our federal taxes and investments must reflect Long Island’s higher cost of living. Whether it be investing in our infrastructure or bringing down the cost of life-saving prescription drugs, Kara knows that, above all else, it’s time our community has a member in Congress who shares their priorities.
When Kara's not representing Long Island families, you can find her in Setauket, hiking in a local park or along the beach, often cleaning up trash along her roadway, training for her next marathon, or on the sidelines of her daughter Hope's soccer games with her husband Chris.