Lee Zeldin

Lee Zeldin
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Nominee
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentDonald Trump (elect)
SucceedingMichael S. Regan
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 1st district
In office
January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byTim Bishop
Succeeded byNick LaLota
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 3rd district
In office
January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2014
Preceded byBrian X. Foley
Succeeded byThomas Croci
Personal details
Born
Lee Michael Zeldin

(1980-01-30) January 30, 1980 (age 44)
East Meadow, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Diana Gidish
Children2
RelativesIsaiah Zeldin (uncle)[1]
ResidenceShirley, New York
Education
Signature
Website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service
  • 2003–2007 (Active)
  • 2007–present (Reserve)
Rank Lieutenant Colonel

Lee Michael Zeldin (born January 30, 1980) is an American attorney, Republican politician, and officer in the United States Army Reserve.

Zeldin represented New York's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023. From 2011 to 2014, Zeldin served as a member of the New York State Senate from the 3rd Senate district. In 2022, he unsuccessfully ran for Governor of New York against the incumbent Kathy Hochul. He was seen as a possible candidate for Chair of the Republican National Committee in 2023, however decided against running.[2]

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Zeldin as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.[3]

Early life

Zeldin was born in East Meadow, New York.[4][5] He was raised in Suffolk County, New York.[6][7] He is Jewish.[8] Zeldin studied at SUNY University at Albany.[7][9] He received a Juris Doctor from Albany Law School in May 2003.[5][7]

New York State Senate

In 2010, Zeldin ran in the New York State Senate's 3rd District, running against Democratic incumbent Brian X. Foley. Zeldin defeated Foley with 57% of the vote.[10] Zeldin was reelected in 2012 with 56% of the vote.[11]

In June 2011, Zeldin voted against the Marriage Equality Act.[12][13] Zeldin said that "It is my belief that marriage should be defined as between a man and a woman."[14]

In December 2011, Zeldin supported a $250 million cut to the MTA payroll tax.[15][16]

Zeldin did not vote on the NY SAFE Act, a gun control bill.[17] In February 2014, Zeldin created a bill that wanted to stop Common Core for three years.[18]

U.S. House of Representatives

In 2008, Zeldin ran against incumbent representative Tim Bishop in New York's 1st congressional district. Bishop defeated Zeldin 58%–42%.[19] In October 2013, Zeldin said he would again for the Republican nomination to run against Bishop.[20][21] He beat Bishop with 54% of the vote.[22][23][24] He would successfully run for re-election in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

When he was in congress, Zeldin was one of two Jewish Republicans in Congress.[25] During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Zeldin was one of 963 Americans the Russian Foreign Ministry banned from entering Russia.[26]

2022 gubernatorial campaign

In April 2021, Zeldin announced he would run for governor of New York in 2022.[27] Zeldin's campaign reportedly raised $4 million during the first half of 2021 and $4.3 million in the second half.[28][29][30] Zeldin visited every county in New York State twice during his campaign.[31]

Zeldin ran against Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, and Harry Wilson for the Republican nomination.[32] He won the nomination in June 2022. He ran against incumbent governor Kathy Hochul in the November general election.[33]

On July 21, 2022, Zeldin was attacked at a campaign event in Perinton, New York. A man got on the stage while Zeldin was giving a speech and attacked him with a pointed plastic key chain.[34][35]

During most polling numbers of the election, it was seen that the election was closer than most gubernatorial elections since 2002. However, Zeldin lost to Hochul, 53.2% to 46.8% in November 2022.[36]

Environmental Protection Agency

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Zeldin to serve as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in his second cabinet.[3]

Personal life

Zeldin was raised Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism.[37] His wife Diana Zeldin is Mormon.[38] The couple have identical twin daughters.[6] They live in Shirley, New York.[6]

In September 2021, Zeldin announced that he had been diagnosed with leukemia in November 2020 and was in remission.[39]

References

  1. ↑ "Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY) Remembers Rabbi Zeldin on the House Floor". Wise Temple LA. January 31, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  2. ↑ Otterbein, Holly (November 17, 2022). "Zeldin moves closer to bid for GOP chair". politico.com. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Treene, Alayna (November 11, 2024). "Trump picks former GOP congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  4. ↑ Civiletti, Denise (January 4, 2017). "Rep. Lee Zeldin sworn in to second term". riverheadlocal.com. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Perks, Ashley (November 12, 2014). "Rep.-elect Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.-01)". TheHill. Archived from the original on November 28, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Zeldin for New York". Zeldin for New York. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Lee M. Zeldin | General Election, November 6, 2018". Newsday. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  8. ↑ "The Lone Republican Jew in Congress: 'Iran Is Playing Our President Like a String Quartet'". Haaretz. June 3, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  9. ↑ Civiletti, Denise (November 3, 2014). "Hotly contested — and very expensive — congressional race draws to a close". RiverheadLOCAL. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Recertified 2010 New York State Senate Election Results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ "New York State Senate Election Results, 2012" (PDF). Retrieved January 15, 2022.[permanent dead link]
  12. ↑ Johnston, Garth (June 24, 2011). "FINALLY: NY State Senate Passes Gay Marriage". Gothamist. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  13. ↑ "A8354-2011 – NY Senate Open Legislation – Enacts the Marriage Equality Act relating to ability of individuals to marry – New York State Senate". nysenate.gov. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  14. ↑ Lavers, Michael (July 19, 2011). "Fire Islanders Celebrate Passage of Marriage Equality Bill". Fire Island News. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  15. ↑ Hamilton, Colby (December 12, 2011). "NY Governor Cuomo Signs MTA Tax Reduction Into Law". WNYC. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Long Island Officials Lobby To Eliminate MTA Payroll Tax". CBS New York. February 3, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Project Vote Smart – The Voter's Self Defense System". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  18. ↑ Franchi, Jaime (February 16, 2014). "Common Core Adjustments Do Not Go Far Enough, Blast Opponents". Long Island Press. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Our Campaigns – NY – District 01 Race". ourcampaigns.com. November 4, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  20. ↑ Brand, Rick (October 6, 2013). "Zeldin to challenge Bishop for House seat". Newsday. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Zeldin earns GOP support to challenge Bishop". The Suffolk Times. October 7, 2013.
  22. ↑ LaRocco, Paul (November 5, 2014). "Lee Zeldin Defeats Tim Bishop". Newsday. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  23. ↑ Parpan, Grant; Pinciaro, Joseph; Gannon, Tim; Nuzzo, Jen; Murray, Cyndi (November 4, 2014). "Zeldin defeats Bishop as Suffolk GOP wins big on Election Day". The Suffolk Times. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 4, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Lee Zeldin, one of the 2 Jewish Republicans in Congress, made the case for Trump at the RNC". Haaretz. August 27, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Complete list of 963 Americans banned from Russia forever. Hunter Biden, Bob Casey, AOC, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and a few deceased included". Hazleton Standard Speaker. May 24, 2022. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  27. ↑ Glueck, Katie (April 8, 2021). "Rep. Lee Zeldin, an Avid Trump Backer, to Run for N.Y. Governor". The New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  28. ↑ Steinhauser, Paul (July 16, 2021). "Zeldin outpaces Cuomo in NY gubernatorial fundraising fight". Fox News.
  29. ↑ "Cuomo sees drop in donations, wields $18M in campaign funds". AP NEWS. July 16, 2021.
  30. ↑ "New York Senate Democrats build campaign war chest to keep supermajority". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Lee Zeldin: James 'will most likely be our opponent' in NY governor's race". www.ny1.com. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  32. ↑ Roy, Yancey (May 2, 2022). "Astorino, Giuliani get OK to join 4-way GOP primary for governor". Newsday.com. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  33. ↑ Gronewold, Anna; Goldenberg, Sally; Dunn, Danielle Muoio (November 8, 2022). "Hochul beats Zeldin to be New York's first elected female governor". politico.com. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  34. ↑ Fandos, Nicholas; Bromwich, Jonah E.; D’Avolio, Lauren (July 22, 2022). "G.O.P. Assails N.Y. Bail Laws After Suspect in Zeldin Attack Is Released". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  35. ↑ LeBlanc, Paul (July 22, 2022). "GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin attacked but unharmed at New York gubernatorial campaign event". CNN. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  36. ↑ "2022 General Election Governor and Lt. Governor Results". New York State Board of Elections.
  37. ↑ U.S. Congress: Joint Committee on Printing (March 30, 2016). Official Congressional Directory 114th Congress, 2015-2016, Convened January 2015. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office. pp. 180–. ISBN 978-0-16-092997-7.
  38. ↑ Ain, Stewart (November 12, 2014). "L.I.'s Zeldin Stepping Into GOP Minefield". The New York Jewish Week. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  39. ↑ Diaz, Daniella; Janfaza, Rachel (September 18, 2021). "Rep. Lee Zeldin announces he was diagnosed with leukemia last fall and is in remission". CNN. Retrieved September 18, 2021.

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