Kathy Marchione

Kathleen A. Marchione is an American politician from the State of New York. A Republican, Marchione served as Town Clerk and Town Supervisor in the Town of Halfmoon, New York before becoming Saratoga County Clerk. She served in that role from 1997 through 2012. In 2012, Marchione was elected to the New York State Senate in District 43; she held that position from 2013 until 2018, when she declined to seek re-election. Marchione is notable for having unseated State Senator Roy McDonald, a fellow Republican, following his 2011 vote to legalize same-sex marriage in New York.

Kathleen A. Marchione
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 43rd district
In office
January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2018
Preceded byRoy McDonald
Succeeded byDaphne Jordan
Saratoga County Clerk
In office
January 1997 – December 2012
Preceded byRosemarie Corbett
Succeeded byPeter Martin
Personal details
Born (1955-06-13) June 13, 1955
Halfmoon, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseFrank Marchione
Residence(s)Halfmoon, New York, U.S.
WebsiteOfficial website

Life and political career

Marchione first entered public service at the age of 25, serving as Town Clerk in her hometown of Halfmoon. She subsequently served as Halfmoon Town Supervisor, and later as clerk of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors.[1][2] In 1997, Marchione won a special election to be the Saratoga County Clerk following the resignation of Rosemarie Corbett.[3] She was subsequently elected to a full term in 1998, and won re-election every four years thereafter until her election to the State Senate.[1] Marchione served as Saratoga County Clerk from 1997 to 2012.[4] In 2007, she was chosen as the President of the New York State Association of County Clerks.[1]

In 2009, Marchione led a group of New York county clerks to oppose a plan to require the replacement of new license plates beginning in 2010.[5] In her leadership role with the NYSACC, Marchione spoke out against Gov. Eliot Spitzer's 2007 plan to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver licenses;[6] Spitzer withdrew the proposal under heavy pressure from multiple sources.[7]

Marchione is married to Frank Marchione and lives in Halfmoon, New York. She has two children and one stepchild.[1]

2012 election

On April 4, 2012, Marchione announced that she would challenge Sen. Roy McDonald in a Republican primary in Senate District 43.[8] Sen. McDonald had voted for the Marriage Equality Act in 2011[9] after having voted "no" on same-sex marriage legislation in 2009.[10] Marchione criticized McDonald for his same-sex marriage vote[11] and accused him of lacking a consistent conservative voting record.[12][13] Marchione faced resistance to her primary challenge from the establishment within her own party.[14]

The Marchione-McDonald primary was variously described as "one of three localized referend[a] on New York's 2011 same-sex marriage law"[15] and as "divisive",[16] "bitter,"[17] and "nasty".[18] Initially, the results of the race were too close to call.[17] Marchione declared victory on September 25, 2012,[16] while Sen. McDonald's campaign announced that the senator was considering his options.[19] Later that week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, weighed in on the race by announcing his support for Sen. McDonald to continue his re-election bid on a third party line.[20] The Troy Record reported that McDonald spent five times what Marchione did during the Republican primary contest.[21]

Ultimately, Marchione defeated McDonald by 99 votes in the 2012 Republican primary; a total of 14,579 votes were cast.[22] Sen. McDonald opted to cease his campaign and throw his support to Marchione.[23] The Albany Times Union called the Marchione-McDonald primary contest "a reminder that a solid portion of the Republican base remains uncomfortable with same-sex marriage, and that grass-roots insurgents are at least an even match for the party's establishment candidates."[24] Marchione won the November general election, defeating Democrat Robin Andrews and McDonald (who received 20,929 votes on the Independence Party line despite having suspended his campaign).[25][26]

Senate tenure

Marchione began her tenure in the Senate on January 1, 2013. She was re-elected to the Senate in 2014[27] and 2016.[28] In 2018, the Times Union described Marchione as "an outspoken opponent of gun control legislation, a critic of business regulations, a voice for conservatism and an advocate for the region’s horse racing and tourism industries".[29]

In April 2018, Marchione announced that she would not seek re-election to the Senate.[30] She was succeeded by her legislative director, Daphne Jordan.[31]

References
  1. "New York State Senator - Kathleen A. Marchione - Biography". NYSenate.gov. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  2. Williams, Stephen (September 28, 1994). "Marchione named clerk of Saratoga County board". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  3. "Marchione seeks full four-year term". The Daily Gazette. April 24, 1998. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  4. Williams, Stephen (2018-04-26). "Sen. Marchione retiring after 38-year political career". DailyGazette.com.
  5. Donohue, Emily (October 29, 2009). "County clerk fights state license plate mandate". The Saratogian. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  6. Confessore, Nicholas; Vitello, Paul (4 November 2007). "License Issue Figures Large in Local Races" – via NYTimes.com.
  7. Hakim, Danny (14 November 2007). "Spitzer Dropping His Driver's License Plan" – via NYTimes.com.
  8. "It's official: Kathy Marchione running for NY Senate seat held by Roy McDonald (with video)". Saratogian.com. 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  9. Rovzar, Chris (2011-06-24). "Marriage Equality Act Passed by State Senate 33–29". Intelligencer.
  10. Katz, Celeste (2009-12-02). "Gay Marriage Fails, 24-38". NYDailyNews.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  11. Thompson, Maury (2012-09-10). "Marchione, McDonald say economy is top issue in 43rd Senate District race". Glens Falls Post-Star.
  12. Cignoli, Michael (March 19, 2012). "Saratoga County Clerk Kathleen Marchione to challenge Roy McDonald for state Senate seat". The Saratogian. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  13. McCarty, Lucien (September 25, 2013). "Kathy Marchione claims victory in 43rd State Senate District GOP primary (WITH VIDEO)". The Saratogian. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  14. Coleman, Lee (2012-09-14). "GOP race in 43rd Senate District too close to call". DailyGazette.com.
  15. Vielkind, Jimmy (2012-09-20). "'Shove it': A portrait of a gay-marriage Republican in limbo". Politico.com. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  16. "Kathy Marchione declares victory in Republican primary for 43rd Senate District". TroyRecord.com. 2012-09-25. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  17. Thompson, Maury (2012-09-13). "Marchione leads McDonald, but absentee ballots will decide primary". Poststar.com. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  18. Franco, James V. (2012-09-07). "Fair Campaign Practices accuses Kathy Marchione of using unfair campaign tactics". TroyRecord.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  19. Vielkind, Jimmy (2012-09-25). "Victory out of reach for McDonald". Times Union. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  20. "Gov. Cuomo endorses Republican state Sen. Roy McDonald who helped cast one of deciding votes to legalize gay marriage". DailyNews.com. 2012-09-26. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  21. McCarty, Lucian. "VIDEO: Gloves come off in race for 43rd Senate district". The Record.
  22. "New York State Board of Elections - September 13, 2012 State Senate Primary Election Results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  23. DeWitt, Karen (2012-09-28). "Sen. Roy McDonald to leave race after losing GOP Primary". North Country Public Radio. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  24. Vielkind, Jimmy (14 September 2012). "McDonald-Marchione a squeaker". Times Union.
  25. McCarty, Lucien (November 6, 2012). "Kathy Marchione wins 43rd State Senate District". The Saratogian. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  26. "New York State Board of Elections - November 6, 2012 State Senate General Election Results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  27. "Marchione re-elected in 43rd Senate District". Glens Falls Post-Star. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  28. Toscano, Bill (8 November 2016). "Woerner, Marchione, Tedisco come away as winners". Glens Falls Post-Star. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  29. Lombardo, David (25 April 2018). "State Sen. Kathy Marchione abruptly announces retirement". Times Union.
  30. Griffith, Glenn (April 26, 2018). "State Sen. Marchione will not seek re-election". The Saratogian. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  31. Kuczkowski, Andrew (6 November 2018). "Jordan wins 43rd state Senate District". Glens Falls Post-Star. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
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