Henry Hewes (politician)

Henry Hewes
Hewes at the 2016 Lesser-Known Candidates Forum
Personal details
Born (1949-05-21) May 21, 1949 (age 75)
Political partyDemocratic (2004–present)
Republican (before 2004)
Other political
affiliations		Right to Life (1989, 1994)
Conservative (1994)
Parent
Residence(s)Manhattan, New York City, U.S.

Henry F. Hewes (born May 21, 1948) is an American real estate developer and perennial candidate. Throughout his career, he ran for Mayor of New York City and for the U.S. Senate as the nominee of the Right to Life Party. He served on the presidential campaigns of numerous Republican politicians.[1]

In 2016 and in 2020, Hewes announced that he would run as a Democratic presidential candidate.[2]

Early life and education

The son of Jane Fowle and theater critic Henry Hewes, Hewes studied at State University of New York and Hunter College. He was formerly a publisher before moving into consulting.[3]

Political career

Hewes worked as a regional and state director for a number of presidential campaigns. He supported Pat Robertson, Pat Buchanan and George H. W. Bush in their respective campaigns for president. After serving in administrative roles[clarification needed], he ran for mayor of New York City as the nominee of the Right to Life Party in 1989. He participated in the first mayoral debate, over the objections of Rudy Giuliani.[4] During the debate he defended Democratic candidate David Dinkins against Giuliani, prompting allegations from the latter that Hewes and Dinkins were "running almost like a ticket here".[4] He finished in third position in the election, behind Dinkins and Giuliani, winning roughly 1% of the vote.[5] He also ran for U.S. Senate in 1994,[6] receiving 2% of the vote and also finishing third behind Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Bernadette Castro.[7]

In 2016, Hewes ran for president as a Democrat, receiving more than 600 votes in the Missouri primary[8] and over 11,000 votes nationwide;[9] in 2020, he again ran as a Democrat.[10] He failed to secure the nomination during both years.

Political positions

In 2005, Hewes described his political stances as "eclectic", noting his opposition to the War in Iraq, the USA Patriot Act, and the death penalty. He also favored raising the minimum wage at the time.[7] Earlier in his political career, in 1989, he supported the death penalty;[11] as well as rent vouchers and the deregulation of the housing market in New York City.[12]

Hewes is anti-abortion, stating in an interview that he was worried by the number of politicians that "are utterly untroubled by the 58 million aborted children since 1973." He also stated in the same interview with Rolling Stone that he is against any form of capital punishment.[13]

According to Hewes, the financial system in the United States requires reform, along with the Veterans Administration. He believes veterans should receive full medical insurance.[14]

References

  1. ^ Lorch, Donatella (November 4, 1989). "Right to Life Candidate Sees Moral Ills". The New York Times. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  2. ^ Chris Moody, Jeremy Moorhead (January 21, 2016). "The presidential candidates you've never heard of". CNN.
  3. ^ "Missouri primary features 26 candidates — some you know and some you don't". Columbia Missourian. March 11, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Goldman, John J. (November 5, 1989). "Giuliani Sharply Attacks Dinkins' Character in Their First N.Y. Mayoralty Debate". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  5. ^ Roberts, Sam (1989-11-05). "In Their First Debate, Dinkins and Gillian Go At It". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Dao, James (1994-05-23). "Convention in New York: How Republican Leaders Will Build a Ballot". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  7. ^ a b Fried, Joseph P. (April 24, 2005). "Political Itch Lingers After Spotlight Fades". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Missouri Primary Election Results 2016". The New York Times. October 4, 2016. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "Democratic Convention 2016". The Green Papers. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  10. ^ Sullivan, Adam (October 31, 2019). "Bernie Sanders files candidacy in New Hampshire". WCAX. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  11. ^ Lynn, Frank (May 8, 1989). "Death Penalty Becomes Issue in Mayoral Race". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  12. ^ McKinley, James C. (April 30, 1989). "5 Candidates for Mayor Clash Over Housing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  13. ^ Stuart, Tessa (February 9, 2016). "Meet the Alternative Candidates on the New Hampshire Ballot". Rolling Stone.
  14. ^ Abramovich, Seth (June 7, 2016). "Meet the Long-Shot Presidential Candidates in the California Primary". The Hollywood Reporter.