Martin Burns grew up in Glen Cove, New York; rooting for the Yankees and Knicks and working for Democratic candidates. He graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts with a B.A. in international relations. Martin was awarded special honors for his senior thesis which examined the decision-making processes during the Cuban missile crisis.
Martin Burns and his dad, John, at a New York Yankees home game in April 2005.
Following graduation from Tufts, Martin began a long association with Representative Robert Mrazek of New York’s third congressional district. Martin worked on two successful re-election campaigns for Mrazek and served as a congressional staffer in both the New York district and on Capitol Hill. After his time on Capitol Hill, Martin moved on to journalism, working as a reporter and columnist for the Long Island Community Newspaper Group (a chain of 28 weekly newspapers across Long Island, New York). In his weekly column “Our Man in Washington,” Martin broke down for readers how what was going on in Washington impacted their lives. A highlight of Martin’s time as a journalist was covering the both the Democratic and Republican conventions.
After his stint in journalism, Martin returned to the political arena working as an analyst for Cooper and Secrest, which was at the time a leading pollster for Democratic congressional candidates. Martin was the lead analyst for House and Senate candidates in California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New York. His work as an analyst was featured in the Polling Report. Martin used his political analysis to substantially expand the firm’s client base.
The next stage of Martin’s career was a move to the non-profit sector. Martin worked at AARP (the leading advocacy organization for those age fifty plus) serving in leadership roles in both the advocacy and communications divisions. Two of the highlights of Martin’s career at AARP include directing state outreach efforts supporting the addition of a prescription drug benefit to Medicare and developing a grassroots strategy to oppose President George W. Bush’s efforts to privatize Social Security.
Outside the Sinn Féin national headquarters in June 2005.
Martin is passionate about the cause of Irish unity.
While at AARP, Martin earned a masters in government degree from the Johns Hopkins University where his dissertation focused on the leadership styles of speakers of the House of Representatives. Martin’s research included substantial new material derived from in-person interviews with former House Speaker Jim Wright.
After a long career at AARP, Martin, with the enthusiastic support of his wife Mary Liz, fulfilled a lifelong dream and moved to Ireland where he enrolled in the masters in conflict transformation and social justice program at Queen’s University in Belfast. When he was not studying, Martin was an active member of the South Belfast branch of Sinn Féin, actively participating campaigns for the legislative assembly and Belfast City Council.
While at Queens, the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, a flagship for interdisciplinary research in areas of major societal change, published several of Martin’s blogs on international relations and conflict transformation.
Martin’s dissertation at Queen’s focused on how the Sinn Féin leadership persuaded the broad Irish Republican constituency to support the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in 1998. His work received praise for its originality and for his extensive interviews with major decision makers such as former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams. Martin graduated with distinction.
Penny Lane in Liverpool in July 2023 — the street made famous by the Beatles same name. His favorite Beatle is John Lennon.
Martin Burns currently collaborates with Democratic candidates in the United States and with Sinn Féin candidates in Ireland. He considers himself to be a Democrat in the United States and a Republican in Ireland and an enthusiastic member of the Friends of Sinn Féin USA.
Martin is an independent journalist with articles published in the ByLine Times, London. He is a longtime member of the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Martin’s recent journalism has examined the polling data on the 2024 presidential election and the possible resurgence of American isolationism.
Martin and his wife Mary Liz divide their time between their home on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, and an apartment in South Belfast.
