Yes, his family had some important Democratic members. Brian Higgins spoke in the House about Kane's grandmother upon her passing (excerpted here):
Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a tremendous amount of sadness that I report to the House on the passing of a gentle woman whose strength of character served her community and the Democratic party in my hometown of South Buffalo, NY, with tremendous honor and distinction. More importantly, she was a woman of valor—a wife, mother, and grandmother of extraordinary stature, and someone who will be missed for generations to come. Born Patricia Ann Doyle, Pat Kane was, simply put, a legendary figure in Democratic politics for decades. Pat and her husband, Donald F. Kane—another legendary figure and mentor to many of my contemporaries—were part of a large extended family that, along with leaders like former county and State Chairman Joe Crangle and families like the Crottys, Dillons, Keanes, Mahoneys, Whalens and many others, ruled South Buffalo politics from the 1960’s to well into the 1990’s.
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Re: Fandom Venting
From: (Anonymous)Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a tremendous
amount of sadness that I report to
the House on the passing of a gentle woman
whose strength of character served her community
and the Democratic party in my hometown
of South Buffalo, NY, with tremendous
honor and distinction. More importantly, she
was a woman of valor—a wife, mother, and
grandmother of extraordinary stature, and
someone who will be missed for generations
to come.
Born Patricia Ann Doyle, Pat Kane was,
simply put, a legendary figure in Democratic
politics for decades. Pat and her husband,
Donald F. Kane—another legendary figure and
mentor to many of my contemporaries—were
part of a large extended family that, along with
leaders like former county and State Chairman
Joe Crangle and families like the Crottys,
Dillons, Keanes, Mahoneys, Whalens and
many others, ruled South Buffalo politics from
the 1960’s to well into the 1990’s.