George Latimer | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's16th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Jamaal Bowman |
| 9thCounty Executive of Westchester County | |
| In office January 1, 2018 – January 2, 2025 | |
| Deputy | Ken Jenkins |
| Preceded by | Rob Astorino |
| Succeeded by | Ken Jenkins |
| Member of theNew York Senate from the37th district | |
| In office January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Suzi Oppenheimer |
| Succeeded by | Shelley Mayer |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly from the91st district | |
| In office January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Ronald Tocci |
| Succeeded by | Steven Otis |
| Member of theWestchester County Board of Legislators from the 7th district | |
| In office January 1, 1992 – December 31, 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Diane Keane |
| Succeeded by | Judy Myers |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Stephen Latimer (1953-11-22)November 22, 1953 (age 72) Mount Vernon, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Robin Phelps Latimer |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Fordham University (BA) New York University (MPA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
George Stephen Latimer (born November 22, 1953) is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forNew York's 16th congressional district since 2025.
A member of theDemocratic Party, Latimer began his political career in 1987. He has served on theRye City Council, in theWestchester County Legislature, and in theNew York State Assembly. Latimer representedNew York's 37th State Senate district from 2013 to 2017. He ran successfully forWestchester County Executivein 2017, unseating incumbent RepublicanRob Astorino and going on to serve as County Executive from 2018 to 2025. Latimer defeated incumbent RepresentativeJamaal Bowman inthe 2024 Democratic primary in New York's 16th congressional district. Latimer went on to win the 2024 general election and began his tenure in the House of Representatives in January 2025.
Latimer was born inMount Vernon, New York, on November 22, 1953, to Stanley and Loretta (née Miner) Latimer.[1] He attended and graduated fromMount Vernon High School in 1970.[2] He commuted toFordham University inthe Bronx and graduated with aB.A. in 1974. He asked his father for a loan to help him obtain his master's degree in public administration (MPA) fromNew York University'sWagner School.[1] While earning his graduate degree, he worked part-time as abudget analyst at Fordham. After graduating in 1976, he took the position of housing coordinator, setting upSection 8 housing in Mount Vernon. “I discovered an affinity for government work, and I paid my father back,” he said.[3]
Latimer later worked for two decades as a marketing executive in the hospitality industry for major organizations, including subsidiaries ofNestlé andITT.[4]
Latimer first ran for public office in 1987. He won a seat on the Rye City Council, finishing first in a field of six major party candidates.[1] Latimer was elevated in 1991 to theWestchester County Board of Legislators, becoming the first-ever Democrat to win the 7th District seat representing the city ofRye, the village ofLarchmont, and the town and village ofMamaroneck.[5] He was re-elected in 1993, 1995, and 1997;[6] in January 1998, Democrats won a majority of seats on the county board for the first time in 90 years. Latimer was elected to chair the board, becoming the first Democrat ever elected to that post. He was re-elected to his legislative seat in 1999 and served a second term as chairman from 2000 to 2001.[7]
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, and he served in that capacity for a two-year term.[8][better source needed]
After winning re-election to the County Legislature in 2003,[citation needed] Latimer sought and won a seat in theNew York State Assembly in 2004.[9] He served in the Assembly from 2005 to 2012.[10] In the Assembly, Latimer represented the 91st District, which included the Sound Shore communities ofNew Rochelle,Rye Brook, andPort Chester alongside the communities of his county legislative district.[citation needed]
In 2012, Latimer ran for theNew York State Senate in the37th District against Republican Bob Cohen following the retirement announcement of SenatorSuzi Oppenheimer (D).[11] Following his election in 2012,[12] Latimer served in the State Senate from 2013 to 2017.[13]
Latimer missed a state budget vote in 2017 while on a trip to London.[14]
In 2017, Latimer challengedRepublican incumbentRob Astorino forWestchester County Executive.
During the campaign, Astorino attacked Latimer because a house belonging to his late mother-in-law was delinquent on $46,000 in property taxes.[15] 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 byNews 12 showed that Latimer's name did not appear on the deed to the house.[16]
Latimer was also criticized for having "a car-registration suspension on his record,"[17] and for missing state budget votes in April 2017 while vacationing in the [United Kingdom] with a woman other than his wife."[17][18][19] Astorino called for Latimer to "step down from the state Senate’s Education Committee because he missed the state budget vote..."[14] In October 2017, theNew 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."[18] 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."[19]
The Latimer campaign, in turn, accused Astorino of receiving a sweetheart deal on aRolex 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.[20][21]
Latimer defeated Astorino by 14 points despite being outspent over 3-to-1 by Astorino's campaign.[22][23]
On November 2, 2021, Latimer was re-elected to a second term as county executive.[24]
As Westchester County Executive, Latimer "banned gun shows on public property, outlawed gay conversion therapy, expanded the role of the county’s human rights division and signed the Immigration Protection Act that limits the county’s cooperation with federal investigations of undocumented workers". He also increased property taxes by two percent, supported a one percent sales tax increase, and implemented a ban on questions about applicants' criminal backgrounds on job applications.[1] In 2023, under Latimer's leadership, Westchester County accepted some asylum seekers who came to the county fromNew York City.[25]
In December 2023, Latimer announced that he would run for theUnited States House of Representatives in 2024. He challenged incumbent U.S. RepresentativeJamaal Bowman in the June 25 Democratic primary inNew York's 16th congressional district.[26] Latimer ran as a pro-Israel Democrat, while Bowman was accused of antisemitism[27] because he was critical of U.S. support for Israel in theGaza war.[28][29]The New York Times described the contest as "a marquee showcase of the party's divisions over the Israel-Hamas war".[30]
The primary was the most expensive House primary in U.S. history, with $15 million in outside spending benefiting Latimer's campaign.[31] Latimer received high-profile endorsements from former Secretary of State and former U.S. SenatorHillary Clinton, a resident ofChappaqua inWestchester County; from former U.S. representativesEliot Engel andNita Lowey; and from most area state legislators.[32][33]
Latimer defeated Bowman, 58.6% to 41.4%.[34] Bowman's loss was seen as a major defeat for the progressive wing of the party against its more moderate wing, represented by Latimer.[31]
Latimer went on to win the general election, defeating Republican Miriam Flisser.[35][36] As of December 2024, he has never lost an election.[25]
Latimer was sworn in to the119th United States Congress on January 3, 2025.[10]
For the 119th Congress:[37]
| 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 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| 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 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| 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 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| 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 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| 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 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| 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 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| 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 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| 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 (incumbent) | 95,370 | 43.4% | |
| Majority | 28,903 | 13.2% | ||
| Totals | 219,643 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic gain fromRepublican | ||||
| 2021 Westchester County Executive election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | |
| Democratic | George S. Latimer | 89,277 | 58.4% | |
| Working Families | George S. Latimer | 5,556 | 3.6% | |
| Total | George S. Latimer (incumbent) | 94,833 | 62.0% | |
| Republican | Christine Sculti | 56,136 | 36.7% | |
| Conservative | Christine Sculti | 1,933 | 1.3% | |
| Total | Christine Sculti | 58,069 | 38.0% | |
| Totals | 152,902 | 100.0% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George Latimer | 45,909 | 58.6 | |
| Democratic | Jamaal Bowman (incumbent) | 32,440 | 41.4 | |
| Total votes | 78,349 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George Latimer | 217,668 | 71.6 | |
| Republican | Miriam Flisser | 86,408 | 28.4 | |
| Total votes | 304,076 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
Latimer and his wife, Robin Phelps Latimer, are the parents of a daughter, Meagan.[47] He met his wife in the 1970s while he was working in sales forStouffer Corporation inWhite Plains, New York.[3]
In 2019, Latimer faced a lawsuit following a July 2017 car crash inNew Rochelle. The collision occurred when Latimer failed to yield at an intersection, causing the driver of the other car "severe and permanent injury." At the time of the crash, Latimer was driving an aide's vehicle; his own car's registration had been suspended because of a high number of unpaid parking tickets.[48]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Executive of Westchester County 2018–2025 | Succeeded by Richard Wishnie Acting |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 16th congressional district 2025–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 402nd | Succeeded by |