Rich Funke

Rich Funke (born January 30, 1949) is an American journalist and politician who represented the 55th district of the New York State Senate from 2015 until 2020.

Rich Funke
Funke in 2019
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 55th district
In office
January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2020
Preceded byTed O'Brien
Succeeded bySamra Brouk
Personal details
Born (1949-01-30) January 30, 1949
Batavia, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceCary, North Carolina
Alma materAdelphi University
OccupationNewsreader, journalist, anchorman
WebsiteOfficial website

Funke is a Republican who was elected in November 2014 when he defeated Democratic incumbent Ted O'Brien.[1] Prior to his election, Funke had for almost 40 years been a news anchor and sports director for WHEC-TV, the NBC affiliate station in Rochester, New York.[2]

Media career

Funke is a former radio disk jockey, radio and television journalist and television sports reporter and news anchor in Rochester, NY. He began his career in broadcasting at WBTA in Batavia, New York. From there he worked as a news reader and reporter at WHAM in Rochester before moving in 1972 to WAXC a top 40 station as its news director. After WAXC he was brought on as a sports director at WHEC-TV in 1974. After a stint at WTVJ-TV in Miami, Florida from 1980 to 1981 he returned to Rochester and his previous position at WHEC-TV.

In 2005, Funke became the primary anchor of the evening news at 5, 6, 7 and 11 p.m. at WHEC-TV before retiring in 2012 as one of the main faces of the station.

Political career

In March 2014, Funke announced his candidacy for the New York State Senate in Senate District 55 against incumbent Democrat Ted O'Brien.[3] Funke defeated O'Brien, 54,874 votes to 38,624.[4][5]

Funke ran for re-election unopposed in 2016. In 2018, however, he was a top Democratic target, ultimately defeating Democrat Jen Lunsford by a margin of 52%-48%.[6]

In December 2019, Funke announced that he would not seek re-election the following year.[7]

Awards and honors

Funke received the James H. Ellery Memorial Award for Television for his coverage of the Rochester Americans in 1977 and 1986.

Funke was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame in December, 2012 shortly after his retirement.

On December 27, 2014, the Rochester Lancers of the Major Arena Soccer League inducted Funke into the Rochester Lancers Wall of Fame as one of Rochester's "soccer pioneers". Funke was the television play-by-play announcer for the original Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League.[8]

References
  1. "Rich Funke takes Ted O'Brien's Senate seat". Democrat & Chronicle. 2014-11-05. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  2. "Rich Funke, former news anchor, considers political run". Democrat & Chronicle. 2014-01-13. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  3. "Rich Funke announces candidacy for Senate". Democrat & Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  4. "Funke takes O'Brien's Senate seat". Democrat & Chronicle. 2014-11-04. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  5. "NYS Board of Elections Senate Election Returns November 4, 2014" (PDF). Elections.ny.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  6. "Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 55 Race - Nov 06, 2018". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  7. "State Senator Rich Funke Will Not Run in 2020". Spectrumlocalnews.com. 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  8. DiVeronica, Jeff (December 11, 2014). "Sarachan, Funke, Durante, Short to be inducted to Lancers Wall of Fame". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, NY: Gannett. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
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