Greg Edwards
Encyclopedia
Gregory J. Edwards is the current county executive
of Chautauqua County, New York
. A registered Republican, Edwards served as an attorney and dairy farmer prior to his election in 2005. As of September 2010, Edwards is the nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New York
on the Republican Party
ticket with Carl Paladino
for governor
.
in September 1960 to second-generation dairy farmers. Greg was 14 at the time when his parents took over his grandfather’s dairy farm. Greg’s mother then became the physical education teacher at Panama High School.
Greg spent his high school years working on his family's dairy farm. He graduated Panama High School in 1978 and then went to Allegheny College
in Pennsylvania. He spent 4 years on the football team (Division III) as a backup linebacker, tackle, and special teams player. He graduated in 1982 with his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
Upon graduation from college, Greg took a job on the outskirts of Pittsburgh as a salesman for a steel plant. A year and a half later, he returned home to the family farm in Panama, New York. He went to work full time on the farm – milking cows and tending the land.
In 1986 he graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law
and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1987. Right out of law school he went to work as an Associate for a small law firm – Erickson, Webb, Scolton – in Jamestown, New York
. In 1991, he became a partner at the law firm Lodestro, Cass, Vanstrom and Edwards. Greg has been married to Carrie Wilson since 1990. They have three children and live in Jamestown, NY.
Edwards handily won re-election in 2009, defeating Democrat Chuck Cornell 65%-35%.
During his first term he:
, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the New York gubernatorial election, 2010
,selection of Greg Edwards as his running mate in his campaign for Governor of New York State. Edwards is assured of appearing on the Conservative Party ballot in November (due to Andrew Kay, Ralph Lorigo's running mate, declining his nomination), and competed against Tom Ognibene
(Carl Paladino
's running mate) in the Republican primary.
Under a loophole in the state's electoral fusion
since Paladino and Edwards both won their respective primaries, Edwards could not use fusion to count all votes for him on the separate lines as one sum total. Fusion in New York only applies to identical ballots. Thus, it would be theoretically possible for Edwards to have more overall votes for lieutenant governor than Democratic LG candidate Bob Duffy but still lose the election to him. This issue was resolved when the Republican, Conservative and Taxpayers
parties were unified by nominating the losing candidates (Lazio and Ognibene) to judicial nominations.
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
of Chautauqua County, New York
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
. A registered Republican, Edwards served as an attorney and dairy farmer prior to his election in 2005. As of September 2010, Edwards is the nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
on the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
ticket with Carl Paladino
Carl Paladino
Carl Pasquale Paladino is an American businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for the New York gubernatorial election,...
for governor
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
.
Biography
Edwards, 49, was born in Panama, New YorkPanama, New York
Panama is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 491 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a large rock formation south of the village, called Panama Rocks. This site has become a tourist attraction, and the owners charge admission at the gate.The...
in September 1960 to second-generation dairy farmers. Greg was 14 at the time when his parents took over his grandfather’s dairy farm. Greg’s mother then became the physical education teacher at Panama High School.
Greg spent his high school years working on his family's dairy farm. He graduated Panama High School in 1978 and then went to Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
in Pennsylvania. He spent 4 years on the football team (Division III) as a backup linebacker, tackle, and special teams player. He graduated in 1982 with his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
Upon graduation from college, Greg took a job on the outskirts of Pittsburgh as a salesman for a steel plant. A year and a half later, he returned home to the family farm in Panama, New York. He went to work full time on the farm – milking cows and tending the land.
In 1986 he graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law
University of Toledo College of Law
The University of Toledo College of Law is the law school at the University of Toledo, and is located on the University's main campus in a residential suburb in west Toledo.-Admission:...
and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1987. Right out of law school he went to work as an Associate for a small law firm – Erickson, Webb, Scolton – in Jamestown, New York
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
. In 1991, he became a partner at the law firm Lodestro, Cass, Vanstrom and Edwards. Greg has been married to Carrie Wilson since 1990. They have three children and live in Jamestown, NY.
2005 and 2009 Campaigns for Chautauqua County Executive
In 2004, the local Republican Party asked Greg to run for County Executive against a two-term incumbent. Greg won election to his first term in 2005, defeating Democrat Mark Thomas 52%-42%.Edwards handily won re-election in 2009, defeating Democrat Chuck Cornell 65%-35%.
Record as County Executive
Greg Edwards has been said to run the county government like a business .During his first term he:
- Reduced property taxes every year despite reduction in sales taxes, increased demands by New York State, and increases in the cost of delivering services .
- Spearheaded creative economic development initiatives that have produced significant revenue for Chautauqua County .
- Increased the bond rating to A+.
- Increased economic development and improve services for our veterans, and seniors .
- Paid past due bills, invested in savings, and set aside the money necessary to pay our long term obligations .
Selection as candidate for Lieutenant Governor
On May 19, 2010 the Associated Press reported Rick LazioRick Lazio
Enrico Anthony "Rick" Lazio is a former U.S. Representative from the state of New York. Lazio became well known nationally when he ran against Hillary Rodham Clinton for the U.S. Senate in New York's 2000 Senate election...
, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the New York gubernatorial election, 2010
New York gubernatorial election, 2010
The New York gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the Governor of New York, who will serve a four-year term to begin in January 2011. Incumbent Democratic Governor David Paterson, elected as Lieutenant Governor in 2006 as the running mate of former Governor...
,selection of Greg Edwards as his running mate in his campaign for Governor of New York State. Edwards is assured of appearing on the Conservative Party ballot in November (due to Andrew Kay, Ralph Lorigo's running mate, declining his nomination), and competed against Tom Ognibene
Tom Ognibene
-Biography:Ognibene was elected in 1992 as New York City Council member, where he served through 2001, representing the 30th District in Queens, including the neighborhoods of Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, and Forest Hills...
(Carl Paladino
Carl Paladino
Carl Pasquale Paladino is an American businessman and political activist from Buffalo, New York. Paladino is the founder and chairman of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development company he founded in 1973. He was the 2010 Republican nominee for the New York gubernatorial election,...
's running mate) in the Republican primary.
Under a loophole in the state's electoral fusion
Electoral fusion
Electoral fusion is an arrangement where two or more political parties on a ballot list the same candidate, pooling the votes for that candidate...
since Paladino and Edwards both won their respective primaries, Edwards could not use fusion to count all votes for him on the separate lines as one sum total. Fusion in New York only applies to identical ballots. Thus, it would be theoretically possible for Edwards to have more overall votes for lieutenant governor than Democratic LG candidate Bob Duffy but still lose the election to him. This issue was resolved when the Republican, Conservative and Taxpayers
Taxpayers Party of New York
The Taxpayers Party of New York State was an American political party active in the state of New York. It was not part of any nationwide party, nor is it affiliated with the U.S. Taxpayers' Party , which predates it by 18 years, or the Tax Revolt Party active in Nassau County...
parties were unified by nominating the losing candidates (Lazio and Ognibene) to judicial nominations.
External links
- Chautauqua County Board of Elections: Election Results | http://www.co.chautauqua.ny.us/departments/exec/Pages/default.aspx