George Latimer (New York politician)

George Stephen Latimer (born November 22, 1953) is an American politician serving as County Executive of Westchester County, New York since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the New York State Senate for the 37th District from 2013 to 2017. Latimer 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 Incumbent Republican Rob Astorino. As of 2021, Latimer has never lost an election in three decades in public office.[1]

George Latimer
9th County Executive of Westchester County
Assumed office
January 1, 2018
DeputyKen Jenkins
Preceded byRob Astorino
Member of the New York Senate
from the 37th district
In office
January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2017
Preceded bySuzi Oppenheimer
Succeeded byShelley Mayer
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 91st district
In office
January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2012
Preceded byRonald Tocci
Succeeded bySteven Otis
Personal details
Born
George Stephen Latimer

(1953-11-22) November 22, 1953
Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationFordham University (BA)
New York University (MPA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Early life

Born in Mount Vernon, New York, to Stanley and Loretta (née Miner) Latimer, Latimer 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]

Career prior to 2010

Latimer first ran for public office in 1987; he won a seat on the Rye City Council, finishing first in a field of 6 major party candidates.[3] Latimer was elevated in 1991 to the Westchester County Board of Legislators, the first-ever Democrat to win the 7th District seat representing the City of Rye, Village of Larchmont, and Mamaroneck Town and Village. Latimer 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, and was the first Democrat ever to do so. He was re-elected to his legislative seat in 1999, and served a second term as chairman from 2000 to 2001.[4]

Latimer did not seek a third term as chair in 2002, having been re-elected to a sixth term in the Westchester County Legislature. 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, Latimer sought and won a seat in the New York State Assembly in 2004. In the Assembly, Latimer represented the 91st District, which included the Sound Shore communities of New Rochelle, Rye Brook, and Port Chester alongside the communities of his County Legislative District. He defeated his Republican opponent Vincent Malfetano with over 68% of the vote, carrying each of the district's seven cities, towns and villages. Latimer was re-elected to the Assembly seat without opposition in 2006, and scored 71% of the vote in his 2008 victory over Republican Rob Biagi. Latimer won a fourth Assembly term in 2010, defeating Conservative Republican Bill Reed with 67% of the vote.

New York State Senate

Upon the retirement of Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D) in January 2012, Latimer, a Democrat, ran for the New York State Senate in the 37th District against Republican Bob Cohen. Latimer prevailed on Election Day.[5]

Latimer was re-elected to a second term in November 2014, defeating Republican Joseph L. Dillon.[6]

In 2016, Latimer was challenged by Republican Rye City Council member Julie Killian. Killian's campaign outspent Latimer's by nearly 5-to-1.[7] Latimer won a third term, defeating Killian by 56% to 44%.[8]

Westchester County Executive

In 2017, Latimer challenged incumbent Republican Rob Astorino for Westchester County Executive.

During the campaign, Latimer was criticized for missing state budget votes in April 2017 while reportedly vacationing in the United Kingdom with a woman other than his wife.[9][10][11] Astorino called for Latimer to "step down from the state Senate's Education Committee because he missed the state budget vote..."[12] In October 2017, the New York Post reported that Latimer had "told fellow Democrats he was attending the [United Kingdom] trip with his wife, Robin... The state budget was passed a week after the April 1 deadline this year, and Latimer missed the votes on legislation approving school funding, tax revenues and the capital budget."[11] Latimer accused Astorino of "trying to divert voters' attention — but didn't deny taking the trip"; when asked where he was during the skipped votes, Latimer told reporters that the subject was "not [their] business."[10]

The Latimer campaign, in turn, accused Astorino of receiving a sweetheart deal on a Rolex watch due to his relationship with a businessman who had pleaded guilty to fraud charges; Latimer's campaign called for Astorino's resignation based on the allegations.[13][14]

Latimer defeated Astorino by 14 points despite being outspent over 3-to-1 by Astorino's campaign.[15][1]

On November 2, 2021, Latimer was re-elected to a second term as county executive.[16]

Latimer is considering that he may purchase the land around Pocantico Lake Park to create a new county park.[17]

Electoral results
New York 91st Assembly District, 2004 General Election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 26,978 64.3
Independence George S. Latimer 1,214 2.9
Working Families George S. Latimer 721 1.7
Total George S. Latimer 28,913 68.9
Republican Vincent J. Malfetano 12,257 29.2
Conservative Vincent J. Malfetano 793 1.9
Total Vincent J. Malfetano 13,050 31.1
Total votes 41,963 100.0
Democratic hold
New York 91st Assembly District, 2006 General Election[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 19,521 89.4
Independence George S. Latimer 1,410 6.5
Working Families George S. Latimer 899 4.1
Total George S. Latimer (incumbent) 21,830 100.0
Total votes 21,830 100.0
Democratic hold
New York 91st Assembly District, 2008 General Election[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 29,105 65.1
Independence George S. Latimer 1,754 3.9
Working Families George S. Latimer 1,027 2.3
Total George S. Latimer (incumbent) 31,886 71.3
Republican Rob Blagi 11,850 26.5
Conservative Rob Blagi 966 2.2
Total Rob Blagi 12,816 28.7
Total votes 44,702 100.0
Democratic hold
New York 91st Assembly District, 2010 General Election[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 18,704 59.9
Independence George S. Latimer 1,531 4.9
Working Families George S. Latimer 977 3.1
Total George S. Latimer (incumbent) 21,212 68.0
Republican Bill Reed 8,759 28.1
Conservative Bill Reed 1,246 4.0
Total Bill Reed 10,005 32.0
Total votes 31,217 100.0
Democratic hold
New York 37th Senatorial District, 2012 General Election[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 61,010 51.3
Working Families George S. Latimer 3,226 2.7
Total George S. Latimer 64,236 54.0
Republican Bob Cohen 48,125 40.5
Conservative Bob Cohen 4,522 3.8
Independence Bob Cohen 1,927 1.6
Total Bob Cohen 54,574 46.0
Write-ins Write-in 40 negligible
Total votes 118,850 100
Democratic hold
New York 37th Senatorial District, 2014 General Election[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 34,850 47.7
Working Families George S. Latimer 3,242 4.4
Total George S. Latimer (incumbent) 38,092 52.2
Republican Joseph L. Dillon 29,151 39.9
Conservative Joseph L. Dillon 4,572 6.2
Independence Joseph L. Dillon 1,190 1.6
Total Joseph L. Dillon 34,913 47.8
Write-ins Write-in 28 negligible
Total votes 73,033 100.0
Democratic hold
New York 37th Senatorial District, 2016 General Election[24]
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
Total George S. Latimer (incumbent) 73,116 55.7
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
Total Julie Killian 58,164 44.3
Write-ins Write-in 119 negligible
Total votes 131,399 100.0
Democratic hold
Westchester county Executive, 2017 Democratic Primary Election[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 24,466 62.6
Democratic Ken Jenkins 14,316 36.7
Total votes 39,057 100.0
2017 Westchester County Executive election
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George S. Latimer 116,834 53.2%
Working Families George S. Latimer 4,034 1.8%
Independence George S. Latimer 2,214 1.0%
Women's Equality George S. Latimer 960 0.4%
Reform George S. Latimer 231 0.1%
Total George S. Latimer 124,273 56.6%
Republican Rob Astorino 82,929 37.8%
Conservative Rob Astorino 12,441 5.7%
Total Rob Astorino 95,370 43.4%
Majority 28,903 13.2%
Totals 219,643 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican
2021 Westchester County Executive election
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic George S. Latimer 89,277 58%
Working Families George S. Latimer 5,556 4%
Total George S. Latimer 94,833 62%
Republican Christine Sculti 56,136 37%
Conservative Christine Sculti 1,933 1%
Total Christine Sculti 58,069 38%
Totals 152,902 100.0%
Democratic hold

References
  1. "George Latimer wins Westchester County executive race". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
  2. "State Sen. Latimer's Rye house in foreclosure". LoHud. 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
  3. Reisman, Phil (2019-10-15). "George Latimer: Lawn Ranger". City & State NY. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  4. "The Hottest Race for the NY State Senate: George Latimer vs. Bob Cohen". The Huffington Post. 2012-12-18. Retrieved 2016-05-15.
  5. "Latimer defeats Cohen; incumbents cruise". Newsday.
  6. Ganga, Elizabeth. "Republican Dillon concedes in 37th Senate District race against Latimer". The Journal News.
  7. "Latimer, Killian face off in heated Senate race". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
  8. Westchester County Board of Elections. "2016 General Election Canvass Book" (PDF). Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  9. "State senator's skipped budget votes come back to haunt him". New York Post. 2017-10-24. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  10. "State senator says rival's attack on skipped votes is a 'distraction'". New York Post. 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  11. "Latimer on the defensive after allegations over missed budget vote". fios1news.com. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  12. Lungariello, Mark (2017-10-30). "Astorino says Latimer should step down from education post". LoHud.com. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  13. "After Rob Astorino donor testimony, George Latimer camp calls for resignation". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  14. "Rolex at center of call for Astorino to resign". Politico PRO. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  15. "Astorino outspends Latimer as campaign winds down". lohud.com. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  16. "Latimer Easily Wins Second Term as County Executive". www.theexaminernews.com. November 3, 2021.
  17. Seaman, Barrett (2022-07-10). "County Weighs Bid for Disputed Pocantico Lake Property". The Hudson Indy Westchester's Rivertowns News -. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  18. "2004 New York State Assembly election results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov.
  19. "2006 New York State Assembly election results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov.
  20. "2008 New York State Assembly election results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov.
  21. "2010 New York State Assembly election results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov.
  22. 2012 General Election Canvass Book, Westchester County, p. 292.
  23. 2014 General Election Canvass Book, Westchester County, p. 494.
  24. 2016 General Election Canvass Book, Westchester County, p. 263.
  25. "2017 primary election results" (PDF). CitizenParticipation.Westchestergov.com. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
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