George Latimer (New York politician)
George S. Latimer | |
|---|---|
| County Executive of Westchester County Elect | |
| Assuming office January 1, 2018 | |
| Succeeding | Rob Astorino |
| Member of the New York Senate from the 37th district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2013 | |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 91st district | |
| In office January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Ronald Tocci |
| Succeeded by | Steven Otis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 22, 1953 Mount Vernon, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Rye, New York, U.S. |
George Latimer (born November 22, 1953) is a member of the New York State Senate for the 37th district, first elected in 2012. He previously served on the Rye city council, in the Westchester County legislature, and in the New York State Assembly. Latimer was elected as the Westchester County Executive in November 2017, defeating Rob Astorino. Latimer has never lost an election in his three decades in public office.[1]
Life and career
Born in Mt. Vernon, New York to Stanley and Loretta (née Miner) Latimer, he attended local public schools. He graduated with a B.A. from Fordham University in the Bronx in 1974 and received a master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from New York University's Wagner School in 1976. He worked for two decades as a marketing executive in the hospitality industry for major organizations, including subsidiaries of Nestle and ITT.[2]
Electorally, Latimer first ran for public office in 1987, and won a seat on the Rye City Council, finishing first in a field of 6 major party candidates. A Democrat in heavily Republican Rye, Latimer was elevated in 1991 to the Westchester County Board of Legislators, the first-ever Democrat to win the 7th District seat - Rye City, Larchmont Village, Mamaroneck Town and Village. He was re-elected in 1993, 1995, and 1997; in January 1998, Democrats won a majority of seats in the County Board for the first time in 90 years. Latimer was elected to chair the board, once again, the first Democrat to do so. He was re-elected to his legislative seat in 1999, and served a second term as chairman from 2000 to 2001.[3]
During his tenure as chair, he was the first chair to widely pick members of the minority party (Republicans) to chair committees alongside Democrats. He presided over 3 budget adoptions that cut total County tax levy, FY 1999, FY 2000 and FY 2001. Latimer established cable television coverage of County Board meetings, and help shepherd major legislation on human rights, environmental protection, gun safe storage, and waste hauler regulations to passage. He led the board through the 2001 redistricting plan, including members of the League of Women Voters to the committee to ensure a balanced approached to districting.
Latimer did not seek a third term as chair in 2002, having been re-elected to his County seat in 2001 (6th Term). Westchester County Democrats elected him County Democratic Party Chairman in September 2002, where he served one two-year term. After re-election to the County Legislature in 2003 (7th Term), a year later, 2004, Latimer sought and won a seat in the New York State Assembly representing the 91st A.D. covering the Sound Shore communities of New Rochelle, Rye Brook and Port Chester alongside the communities of the County Legislative District. He defeated his Republican opponent Vincent Malfetano with over 68% of the vote, carrying all of the district's 7 cities, towns and villages. Latimer was re-elected to the Assembly seat without opposition in 2006, and scored an impressive 71% in his 2008 victory over Republican Rob Biagi. His fourth term in 2010 came over Conservative Republican Bill Reed with 67%.
New York Senate
On the retirement of Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D) in January 2012, Latimer, a Democrat, also ran as the Working Families Party (WFP) candidate for the 37th Senate District, and battled Bob Cohen (R-C-I). The Senate seat was redistricted by the Senate GOP in 2012, taking away Democratic communities such as Chappaqua, Scarsdale, and parts of New Rochelle and White Plains, and adding Republican strongholds in Eastchester, Bronxville and the eastern portion of Yonkers. Nonetheless, Cohen spent over 4 times the amount Latimer raised, but Latimer prevailed after a tough, combative race, by nearly 10,000 votes - 54% to 46% - in one of New York State's top 5 closely watched Senate races. In the Senate, Latimer has been named Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee, and serves on a number of other standing committees. In the 2013 State Legislative session, Latimer had 8 bills passed the chamber - tied for 3rd most productive among the 26 Minority Democratic Senators.[citation needed]
Latimer was re-elected to a second term in November 2014, defeating Republican Joe Dillon by 52% to 48%.
In 2016, Latimer was challenged by Republican Rye City Council member Julie Killian. Killian's campaign outspent Latimer's by nearly 5-to-1.[4] He won a third term, defeating Killian by 56% to 44%.[5]
Westchester County Executive
In 2017, Latimer challenged incumbent Rob Astorino for Westchester County Executive. Latimer was endorsed by the Reform Party of New York State, which was founded in 2014 by Astorino.[6] During the campaign, Astorino attacked Latimer because a house belonging to his late mother in law was delinquent on $46,000 in property taxes.[7] Latimer said that the taxes would be paid as soon as the estate was settled, and that he was not responsible for the taxes as he did not own the house. An investigation by News 12 showed that Latimer's name did not appear on the deed to the house.[8]
Latimer was also found to have driven his car after his registration lapsed because of unpaid parking tickets.[9] After the revelation, Latimer immediately paid the outstanding fines.[10]
Latimer won by 13 points despite being outspent over 3-to-1 by Astorino's campaign.[11] A super PAC backed by Astorino benefactor Robert Mercer spent an additional $1 million attacking Latimer in the last two weeks of the race.[12][13][14]
Latimer credited grassroots groups throughout Westchester associated with the Indivisible movement with providing support essential to his victory.[15][16]
Electoral results
}}| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George S. Latimer | 61,010 | 51.3 | |
| Working Families | George S. Latimer | 3,226 | 2.7 | |
| Republican | Bob Cohen | 48,125 | 40.5 | |
| Conservative | Bob Cohen | 4,522 | 3.8 | |
| Independence | Bob Cohen | 1,927 | 1.6 | |
| Write-ins | Write-in | 40 | negligible | |
| Total votes | 118,850 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George S. Latimer | 34,850 | 47.7 | |
| Working Families | George S. Latimer | 3,242 | 4.4 | |
| Republican | Joseph L. Dillon | 29,151 | 39.9 | |
| Conservative | Joseph L. Dillon | 4,572 | 6.2 | |
| Independence | Joseph L. Dillon | 1,190 | 1.6 | |
| Write-ins | Write-in | 28 | negligible | |
| Total votes | 73,033 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George S. Latimer | 69,420 | 52.8 | |
| Working Families | George S. Latimer | 2,815 | 2.1 | |
| Women's Equality | George S. Latimer | 881 | 0.7 | |
| Republican | Julie Killian | 50,713 | 38.6 | |
| Conservative | Julie Killian | 5,216 | 4.0 | |
| Independence | Julie Killian | 1,809 | 1.4 | |
| Reform | Julie Killian | 426 | 0.3 | |
| Write-ins | Write-in | 119 | negligible | |
| Total votes | 131,399 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George S. Latimer | 109,846 | 53 | |
| Working Families | George S. Latimer | 3,774 | 2 | |
| Independence | George S. Latimer | 2,048 | 1 | |
| Women's Equality | George S. Latimer | 887 | 0 | |
| Reform | George S. Latimer | 212 | 0 | |
| Republican | Rob Astorino | 77,819 | 38 | |
| Conservative | Rob Astorino | 11,644 | 6 | |
| Total votes | 73,033 | 100 | ||
References
- ^ "George Latimer wins Westchester County executive race". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
- ^ "State Sen. Latimer's Rye house in foreclosure". LoHud. 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
- ^ "The Hottest Race for the NY State Senate: George Latimer vs. Bob Cohen". Huffington Post. 2012-12-18. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
- ^ "Latimer, Killian face off in heated Senate race". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
- ^ Westchester County Board of Elections. "2016 General Election Canvass Book" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ Lungariello, Mark. "Latimer endorsed by party Astorino started". lohud.com.
- ^ "Rye home owned by Democratic candidate's wife has $46,000 in unpaid taxes". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ "Astorino lashes out about Democratic opponent's unpaid taxes".
- ^ "George Latimer gets coffee with unregistered car at center of parking ticket mess". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- ^ "George Latimer pays Mamaroneck parking tickets, mum on whether he drove to press event". lohud.com.
- ^ "Astorino outspends Latimer as campaign winds down". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
- ^ "New Mercer-backed super PAC appears to target Latimer". Politico PRO. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
- ^ "Astorino campaign: $1M spent by Breitbart funder Robert Mercer-backed PAC". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
- ^ "Super PAC Spends More In Westchester Race". www.nystateofpolitics.com. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
- ^ IndivisibleWestchest (8 Nov 2017). "Indivisible! @IndivisibleTeam @tomwatson @nytpoliticspic.twitter.com/HAHGXDQkoP". @IndivisWstchr. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
- ^ Latimer, George. "The Indivisible Movement is here to stay!". Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ 2012 General Election Canvass Book, Westchester County, p. 292.
- ^ 2014 General Election Canvass Book, Westchester County, p. 494.
- ^ 2016 General Election Canvass Book, Westchester County, p. 263.
- ^ Westchester County Elections 2017: Unofficial Tally of Election Results
