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Rick Lazio

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Rick Lazio
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 2nd district
In office
1993–2001
Preceded byThomas J. Downey
Succeeded bySteve Israel
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpousePatricia Moriarty Lazio
ChildrenMolly Ann, 16, Kelsey, 15
Alma materVassar College
American University - Washington College of Law
ProfessionPolitician, Lawyer, Banker

Enrico Anthony "Rick" Lazio (born March 13, 1958) is a former U.S. Representative from the state of New York. A Republican. Currently Lazio is running for Governor of New York on a platform of cutting taxes, reducing government and abolishing the senate to create a unicameral legislature. Lazio first became well known nationally when he unsuccessfully ran against Hillary Rodham Clinton for the U.S. Senate in New York's 2000 Senate election. Although losing the senate race, Lazio gained a strong profile as he raised more campaign funds than Clinton.

Biography

Lazio was born in Amityville, New York in Suffolk County. He graduated from West Islip High School in 1976. He received his A.B. from Vassar College in 1980 and received his Juris Doctor from the Washington College of Law at American University. Prior to being elected to Congress, he was the executive assistant district attorney for Suffolk County and served in the Suffolk County Legislature from 1990 to 1993. He currently resides in Brightwaters, New York.

Lazio represented the New York 2nd Congressional District as a Republican and was first elected in 1992, defeating the incumbent, Tom Downey, who had served for eighteen years but was one of the most prominent figures in the 1992 Rubbergate scandal.

Lazio served four terms from 1993 to 2001, becoming Deputy Majority Whip and Assistant Majority Leader. In Congress, Rick earned a reputation on both sides of the aisle as a hard working, pragmatic, results oriented member who could build bi-partisan coalitions to pass important legislation and see it enacted. Rick was made Chairman of the House Banking Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity which held jurisdiction over a broad range of housing, insurance and community development issues.

In 2000, Lazio ran for the Senate but was defeated by Hillary Clinton in the race to succeed Daniel Patrick Moynihan. His comparatively late entry into the race (five months before Election Day) followed New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's decision not to run for the Senate.

A decisive moment that led to the collapse of his campaign came during a September 13, 2000 debate where he left his podium, walked over to Clinton with a piece of paper that he called the "New York Freedom From Soft Money Pledge" and demanded she sign it. Clinton refused.[1] Debate viewers were turned off by Lazio's aggressive demeanor towards Clinton[2] – and as a result, Clinton's support among women voters solidified.[1]

Lazio has since expressed regret for his conduct during the debate:

At the time, I was making a point about a campaign finance pledge that Mrs. Clinton had made and I didn't feel that it was being honored. I thought that was the opportunity to make the point. On substance, it was right - and on style and perception, it was a mistake, which I regret.[3]

Later, he became the President and CEO of Financial Services Forum. As of December 2005, Lazio was an executive vice-president at JPMorgan Chase & Co. After considering a run for New York State Attorney General in 2006, he stated that for both family and political reasons, he would not be running for any office in that year.

In January 2009, Lazio was said to be seriously considering a run in the New York gubernatorial election, 2010.[4] In May 2009, he filed paperwork with the state board of elections to form a campaign committee.[5] Mr. Lazio declared his candidacy for governor in New York City on September 21, 2009, with a formal announcement in Albany, NY on September 22.[6]

In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, [7] Lazio advocated the creation of a unicameral legislature in New York State.

Electoral history

References

  1. ^ a b Gerth, Van Natta Jr., Her Way, pp. 212-213.
  2. ^ 'Will Lazio's New Jihad Make a Martyr of Hillary?', "New York Observer", September 24, 2000
  3. ^ "'Lazio admits mistake in debate with Clinton'", "Newsday", October 2, 2008
  4. ^ Hernandez, Raymond (2009-01-16). "Lazio Said to Mull Run for Governor". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Benjamin, Elizabeth (2009-05-22). "Lazio 2010 Inc". Daily News. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Web Staff (2009-09-21). "Lazio announces candidacy for governor". TWEAN News Channel of Albany, L.L.C d.b.a. Capital News 9.
  7. ^ [1]
U.S. House of Representatives

Template:U.S. Representative box

Party political offices
Preceded by Republican Nominee for U.S. Senate from New York (Class 1)
2000 		Succeeded by
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