Rick Lazio

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Rick Lazio
Rick Lazio

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 2nd district
In office
1993–2001
Preceded by Thomas J. Downey
Succeeded by Steve Israel

Born March 13, 1958 (1958-03-13) (age 51)
Amityville, New York
Political party Republican
Spouse Patricia Moriarty Lazio
Children Molly Ann, 16, Kelsey, 15
Alma mater Vassar College
American University - Washington College of Law
Profession Politician, Lawyer, Banker
Religion Roman Catholic

Enrico Anthony "Rick" Lazio (born March 13, 1958) is a former U.S. Representative from the state of New York. A Republican, he is most known for having run unsuccessfully against Hillary Rodham Clinton for the U.S. Senate in New York's 2000 Senate election.

[edit] 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 admitted 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]

After the defeat, 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]

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] 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. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/nyregion/16lazio.html. 
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Tom Downey (D)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 2nd congressional district

1993–2001
Succeeded by
Steve Israel (D)
Party political offices
Preceded by
Bernadette Castro
Republican Nominee for U.S. Senate from New York (Class 1)
2000
Succeeded by
John Spencer
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