I graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, served as a Naval Reserve officer (reaching lieutenant), and built a career in tech, specializing in Unix, networking, and security.

Meet Brett Wynkoop

Brett Wynkoop graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.

I'm not a career politician. I'm a neighbor, a veteran, a small business survivor, a part-time computer science teacher, and a captain who's spent years on New York's waters.

Here in New York, I've been an entrepreneur: ran a sailing school and charter boat business at the 79th Street Boat Basin, operated a mobile radio shop for Washington Heights gypsy cabs, and owned an IT firm that was crushed by 9/11. After COVID layoffs from healthcare site reliability work, I returned to captaining charter sailboats and teaching computer science to help the next generation.

Here in New York, I've been an entrepreneur: ran a sailing school and charter boat business at the 79th Street Boat Basin, operated a mobile radio shop for Washington Heights gypsy cabs, and owned an IT firm that was crushed by 9/11.

I founded the Brooklyn Repertory Opera Company to bring culture to our borough, until finances forced us to close.

Brett currently captains charter sailboats and works part-time teaching computer science. He previously worked in healthcare site reliability and worked in technology, specializing in Unix, networking, and security. He ran a sailing school and charter boat business, operated a mobile radio shop for Washington Heights gypsy cabs, owned an information technology firm, and founded the Brooklyn Repertory Opera Company. He served as a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve.

2026 New York General Election

When elected, I will introduce and support legislation to:

Prohibit state pension funds, public investments, and economic development dollars from flowing into companies directly controlled by foreign governments that do not respect free-market principles or U.S. labor and environmental standards-ensuring our retirement savings and taxpayer money support American jobs, ethical practices, and domestic agriculture.

Protecting New York Jobs, Security, Fair Trade & Food

When elected, I will fight in Albany for:

Policies that attract and retain businesses offering good-paying, union-supported jobs-prioritizing worker rights, fair wages, and protections against exploitation.

Job Creation

When elected, I will fight in Albany for:

Strengthening small business support-helping neighborhood shops, restaurants, and startups survive high rents and economic pressures through targeted incentives, streamlined permitting, and access to capital without burdensome red tape.

When elected, I will introduce and support legislation to:

Require preference for U.S.-based vendors, manufacturers, and farmers in state contracts for goods, services, food procurement, and infrastructure projects-bringing more opportunities back to New York workers, small businesses, and family farms that supply Brooklyn.

Plans to restrict state investments in foreign-government-controlled companies that do not meet specified market, labor, and environmental standards.

Advocates for policies that attract union-supported jobs while prioritizing worker rights, fair wages, and protections against exploitation.

Plans to require state contracts to give preference to U.S.-based vendors, manufacturers, and farmers.

Plans to require preference for U.S.-based vendors, manufacturers, and farmers in state contracts.

- Plans to restrict state investments in foreign-government-controlled companies that do not meet specified market, labor, and environmental standards.
- Advocates for policies that attract union-supported jobs while prioritizing worker rights, fair wages, and protections against exploitation.
- Plans to require state contracts to give preference to U.S.-based vendors, manufacturers, and farmers.
- Plans to require preference for U.S.-based vendors, manufacturers, and farmers in state contracts.

Economy

When elected, I will prioritize and advocate for:

Accelerated construction of flood barriers, elevated protections, and resilient infrastructure around vulnerable waterfront areas-building on proven models like the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.

Climate Change Action

When elected, I will prioritize and advocate for:

Accelerated construction of flood barriers, elevated protections, and resilient infrastructure around vulnerable waterfront areas-building on proven models like the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.

A dedicated storm surge gate at the Gowanus Canal entrance (e.g., at Hamilton Avenue) to block incoming tidal surges and contaminated water during major events, coordinated with the EPA Superfund cleanup to avoid trapping pollutants.

When elected, I will prioritize and advocate for:

Accelerated construction of flood barriers, elevated protections, and resilient infrastructure around vulnerable waterfront areas-building on proven models like the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.

A dedicated storm surge gate at the Gowanus Canal entrance (e.g., at Hamilton Avenue) to block incoming tidal surges and contaminated water during major events, coordinated with the EPA Superfund cleanup to avoid trapping pollutants.

Full funding, fast-tracked permitting, and community input for these projects to address both current threats and future projections-shifting from endless studies to real construction that lowers flood insurance premiums, protects homes and small businesses, and prevents toxic flooding in overburdened areas.

We can build long-term strength through affordable, high-impact measures that benefit Brooklyn families today:

Promote energy efficiency upgrades in homes, apartments, and buildings to cut utility bills, reduce waste, and ease the burden on renters and homeowners.

That means:

Embracing reliable, low-cost energy sources like clean natural gas from nearby regions. It's abundant, burns cleaner than older alternatives, and can provide stable baseload power without the price spikes we've seen from over-reliance on intermittent sources.

Energy Policy

Supporting safe, modern nuclear power as a proven, zero-emission option for consistent, large-scale electricity. Closing facilities like Indian Point removed a major source of clean power from the grid-contributing to higher bills and greater reliance on imports.

Realistically integrating renewables like wind and solar where they make economic and practical sense-as supplements to baseload power, not replacements. While we all want cleaner air and a healthier planet, current technology means these sources can't yet deliver the round-the-clock reliability our modern lives demand (as events like the Texas grid failure showed).

Promote distributed renewables and energy resilience

Mandate that major new residential and commercial buildings (especially those replacing smaller homes) incorporate meaningful on-site renewable energy generation-such as rooftop solar, small-scale wind, or efficient co-generation systems. These distributed resources would reduce overall demand on the grid, enhance local reliability during peak times or emergencies, and advance our shared goals of cutting carbon emissions and building climate resilience.

Electrical Infrastructure

Plans to accelerate flood barriers and resilient waterfront infrastructure, including a storm-surge gate at the Gowanus Canal.

Supports energy-efficiency upgrades in homes and buildings to reduce utility costs and waste.

Supports nuclear power and natural gas as reliable energy sources, with wind and solar as supplemental sources.

Proposes requiring major new buildings to include on-site renewable energy generation.

- Plans to accelerate flood barriers and resilient waterfront infrastructure, including a storm-surge gate at the Gowanus Canal.
- Supports energy-efficiency upgrades in homes and buildings to reduce utility costs and waste.
- Supports nuclear power and natural gas as reliable energy sources, with wind and solar as supplemental sources.
- Proposes requiring major new buildings to include on-site renewable energy generation.

Energy & the Environment

When elected to the Assembly, I will introduce and champion legislation to:

Prohibit any mandate requiring specific medical interventions, treatments, or procedures as a condition of employment, public accommodation, housing, education, or government benefits. Establish clear violations-subject to civil and criminal penalties-for employers, businesses, or public entities that coerce health choices in ways that infringe on bodily autonomy and informed consent. Strengthen safeguards for medical privacy so that personal health decisions stay protected from external pressure.

Medical Freedom

When elected to the Assembly, I will introduce and fight for legislation to:

Make it a clear criminal offense for any entity-public or private-to require disclosure of personal health information for any purpose other than directly providing or improving an individual's healthcare.

Medical Privacy

When elected to the Assembly, I will introduce and fight for legislation to:

Prohibit the creation or maintenance of centralized government registries tracking vaccination status, health conditions, or other private medical data that could be used for surveillance or discrimination.

When elected, I will fight in Albany for:

Increased funding and streamlined access to veteran-specific housing programs, including supportive housing and rapid re-housing initiatives that prevent homelessness and integrate with local Brooklyn resources like the Brooklyn Vet Center.

Expanded mental health and substance use support tailored to veterans, including trauma-informed care, peer counseling, and partnerships with organizations like Tunnel to Towers that have proven models for helping veterans in crisis get back on their feet.

Support for Veterans

Plans to prohibit medical mandates as conditions of employment, housing, education, public accommodations, or government benefits.

Plans to criminalize non-healthcare disclosure requirements for personal health information and prohibit centralized government medical-data registries.

Supports expanded veteran mental-health and substance-use services, including trauma-informed care and peer counseling.

- Plans to prohibit medical mandates as conditions of employment, housing, education, public accommodations, or government benefits.
- Plans to criminalize non-healthcare disclosure requirements for personal health information and prohibit centralized government medical-data registries.
- Supports expanded veteran mental-health and substance-use services, including trauma-informed care and peer counseling.

Healthcare

I graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, served as a Naval Reserve officer (reaching lieutenant), and built a career in tech, specializing in Unix, networking, and security. I even testified before the City Council for auditable voting machines with paper ballots to protect our elections.

Advocates for auditable voting machines with paper ballots.

- Advocates for auditable voting machines with paper ballots.

Voting & Elections

When elected to the Assembly, I will fight for practical, common-sense reforms to restore accountability and protect New Yorkers' rights, including:

Requiring courts to maintain full, accurate records of proceedings (including mandatory court reporters or reliable electronic recording) so every litigant has the documentation needed for fair appeals.

Judicial Accountability

When elected to the Assembly, I will fight for practical, common-sense reforms to restore accountability and protect New Yorkers' rights, including:

Strengthening mechanisms for judicial oversight and discipline to ensure judges who repeatedly issue rulings unsupported by evidence or that violate constitutional protections face swift, transparent review.

Advocates for full and accurate court records, including court reporters or reliable electronic recording, to support appeals.

Advocates for stronger judicial oversight and discipline, including transparent review of judges who repeatedly issue unsupported or unconstitutional rulings.

- Advocates for full and accurate court records, including court reporters or reliable electronic recording, to support appeals.
- Advocates for stronger judicial oversight and discipline, including transparent review of judges who repeatedly issue unsupported or unconstitutional rulings.

Public Safety

Traditional public schools play a vital role in our neighborhoods, offering stability, diverse programs, and ongoing improvements like literacy initiatives and class-size reductions. At the same time, expanding access to high-performing options can help meet the needs of more families.

My commitment: When elected, I will introduce legislation to expand school choice options, making it easier for parents in AD-52 to access high-performing charters and other alternatives. This means better educational outcomes for our children-and smarter use of taxpayer dollars that benefits every family and community.

Improving Education in New York

Plans to introduce legislation expanding school-choice options, including access to high-performing charter schools.

- Plans to introduce legislation expanding school-choice options, including access to high-performing charter schools.

Education

When elected, I will fight in Albany for:

Increased funding and streamlined access to veteran-specific housing programs, including supportive housing and rapid re-housing initiatives that prevent homelessness and integrate with local Brooklyn resources like the Brooklyn Vet Center.

Require developers of large-scale projects in areas without sufficient existing infrastructure to cover the full cost of required Con Edison grid upgrades-before construction begins. This ensures that new development pays its fair share, relieving the burden on existing residents and small businesses. It's a matter of basic fairness: those who profit from increased density should invest in the supporting infrastructure.

Advocates for increased funding and streamlined access to supportive and rapid-rehousing programs for veterans.

Proposes requiring large-scale developers to pay the full cost of needed Con Edison grid upgrades before construction.

- Advocates for increased funding and streamlined access to supportive and rapid-rehousing programs for veterans.
- Proposes requiring large-scale developers to pay the full cost of needed Con Edison grid upgrades before construction.

Housing & Urban Development

Brett Wynkoop

- Plans to criminalize non-healthcare disclosure requirements for personal health information and prohibit centralized government medical-data registries.
- Supports expanded veteran mental-health and substance-use services, including trauma-informed care and peer counseling.

- Advocates for policies that attract union-supported jobs while prioritizing worker rights, fair wages, and protections against exploitation.
- Plans to require state contracts to give preference to U.S.-based vendors, manufacturers, and farmers.
- Plans to require preference for U.S.-based vendors, manufacturers, and farmers in state contracts.

- Advocates for stronger judicial oversight and discipline, including transparent review of judges who repeatedly issue unsupported or unconstitutional rulings.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Jo Anne Simon

- Your assembly member is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Assembly, which consists of 150 members and serves as the lower house of the New York State Legislature.  
- Assembly members are responsible for representing your interests and assisting you with navigating state services while bringing resources back to your district.  
- Assembly members draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your assembly member can serve on committees, where many bills may be delayed before reaching a vote.  
- Assembly members are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  

Your representative and state lawmaker in the New York State Assembly.