Carolyn McCarthy

Carolyn McCarthy
Carolyn McCarthy
	McCarthy in 2012
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from New York's 4th district
	In office; January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Dan Frisa
Succeeded by	Kathleen Rice
Personal details
Born	Carolyn Cook; January 5, 1944; New York City, U.S.
Died	June 25, 2025 (aged 81); Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Republican (before 2003); Democratic (2003–2025)
Other political; affiliations	House Democratic Caucus (1997–2015)
Spouse(s)	Dennis McCarthy (m. 1967; died 1993)
Children	1
Education	Glen Cove Nursing School

Carolyn McCarthy (née Cook; January 5, 1944 – June 26, 2025) was an American nurse and politician. She was a Democrat. She served as a member of the U.S. House of Representative for New York's 4th congressional district from 1997 to 2015. She was known for her being an advocate for gun control. Her husband was killed and their son was injured in the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting. She was played by actress Laurie Metcalf in the movie The Long Island Incident (1998), based on the events of the shooting.

McCarthy was born in Brooklyn, New York City and grew up in Mineola, New York. She was married to Dennis McCarthy from 1967 until his murder in 1993.

In 2013, it was reported she had been diagnosed with lung cancer.^[2] McCarthy died in Fort Myers, Florida, on June 25, 2025 from problems caused by the disease at the age of 81.^[3]

Notes

↑ McCarthy first ran for Congress as a Democrat in 1996, and spent her entire congressional tenure in the Democratic caucus, but was registered as a Republican voter until 2003.^[1]

References

↑ Gootman, Elissa (April 29, 2003). "McCarthy Quietly Changes Registration". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
↑ Sherman, Jake (June 3, 2013). "Carolyn McCarthy has lung cancer". Politico. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
↑ Brodsky, Robert (June 26, 2025). "Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, former congresswoman and prominent gun control advocate, dies at 81". Newsday. Retrieved June 26, 2025.

Other websites

Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Vote Smart
Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission

[Party-2] McCarthy first ran for Congress as a Democrat in 1996, and spent her entire congressional tenure in the Democratic caucus, but was registered as a Republican voter until 2003.^[1]

[Gootman-1] Gootman, Elissa (April 29, 2003). "McCarthy Quietly Changes Registration". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2013.

[3] Sherman, Jake (June 3, 2013). "Carolyn McCarthy has lung cancer". Politico. Retrieved February 23, 2020.

[4] Brodsky, Robert (June 26, 2025). "Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, former congresswoman and prominent gun control advocate, dies at 81". Newsday. Retrieved June 26, 2025.

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