Rachel Barnhart

Barnhart graduated from John Marshall High School in the Rochester City School District. She completed her undergraduate degree at Cornell University in Ithaca.^[2] She later earned her executive Master in Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.^[3] Before entering politics, Barnhart was an investigative reporter for both WROC-TV (Channel 8) and WHAM-TV (Channel 13).^[2]

In 2016, Barnhart left journalism to run for New York State Assembly against incumbent Harry Bronson in the 138th District, losing by 10 points in the primary.^[4] In 2017, she unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Mayor Lovely Warren in the democratic primary election alongside former police chief and county legislator James Sheppard.^[5] Following the death of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter in 2018, Barnhart ran in the field of Democrats vying to succeed her in New York's 25th Congressional District. Joe Morelle won the primary election and concurrent special election.^[6] Barnhart won her first election in 2019, winning the Democratic Primary to succeed Mark Muoio in the 21st District of the Monroe County Legislature. Muoio resigned the legislature in September of that year following fake residency allegations, leading to the early appointment of Barnhart following her victory in the primary.^[7]