 Breslin was an attorney for St. Annes Insititute in Albany, and was Vice President of the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless from 1994 to 1998.Breslin was first elected to the State Senate in 1996, defeating one-term Republican incumbent Michael Hoblock by just over eight points.However, he has never faced another contest even that close in what has historically been one of the few safe Democratic districts in Upstate, and has been reelected every two years since.