Ralph J. Marino
Encyclopedia
Ralph John Marino was majority leader
of the New York State Senate from 1989 until 1994. He was ousted during the Thanksgiving
holiday in 1994 by allies of then Governor-elect George Pataki
and replaced by Joseph Bruno
.
. He served in the army from 1946 to 1947. He received a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University
in 1951 and a J.D.
degree from Fordham University School of Law
in 1954. He met his wife at Syracuse when they shared a political science class. He later settled with her, after their marriage in 1954, in her hometown of Oyster Bay on Long Island
.
, he was first elected to the Senate in 1968 and became known for protecting Long Island's interests in Albany. He replaced Warren M. Anderson
of Binghamton
as Majority Leader in 1989.
Marino was a Long Island
member of the Republican Party. He was one of the very few downstate
politicians to hold the Senate Majority Leader position and the first Long Islander to hold the position. Marino frequently sparred with former Governor
Mario Cuomo
on the budget. The budget grew under his tenure as majority leader by some 50%, which perhaps made his loss to Bruno in 1994 easier.
He opposed George Pataki
's nomination for governor in 1994. After the election, Governor-Elect Pataki became de facto party leader, and ousted Marino in late November 1994 with the aid of much more conservative Republicans from Upstate
and Western New York
despite the fact that Marino's deputy and closest ally, Jess Present
, was in fact from Western New York. In Marino's place, Republicans elected Joseph Bruno
, a conservative from the Capital District
.
He resigned from the legislature, effective February 8, 1995, having been stripped of all of his leadership positions.
He died, at the age of 74, of tongue cancer at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre
, New York. His wife Ethel died May 10, 2004.
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
of the New York State Senate from 1989 until 1994. He was ousted during the Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
holiday in 1994 by allies of then Governor-elect George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
and replaced by Joseph Bruno
Joseph Bruno
Joseph L. Bruno is an American businessman, and Republican politician. He was the Temporary President of the New York State Senate and its majority leader. Most recently he also served as Lieutenant Governor of New York ....
.
Personal life
Marino was born in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. He served in the army from 1946 to 1947. He received a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in 1951 and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is a part of Fordham University in the United States. The School is located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city.-Overview:According to the U.S. News & World Report, 1,516 J.D. students attend...
in 1954. He met his wife at Syracuse when they shared a political science class. He later settled with her, after their marriage in 1954, in her hometown of Oyster Bay on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
Political life
Generally considered a Rockefeller RepublicanRockefeller Republican
Rockefeller Republican refers to a faction of the United States Republican Party who held moderate to liberal views similar to those of Nelson Rockefeller...
, he was first elected to the Senate in 1968 and became known for protecting Long Island's interests in Albany. He replaced Warren M. Anderson
Warren M. Anderson
Warren Mattice Anderson was Temporary President and Majority Leader of the New York State Senate. He was a resident of Binghamton, New York....
of Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
as Majority Leader in 1989.
Marino was a Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
member of the Republican Party. He was one of the very few downstate
Downstate New York
Downstate New York is a term denoting the southeastern portion of New York State, United States, in contrast to Upstate New York. The term "Downstate New York" has significantly less currency than its counterpart term "Upstate New York", and the Downstate region is often not regarded as one...
politicians to hold the Senate Majority Leader position and the first Long Islander to hold the position. Marino frequently sparred with former 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...
Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
on the budget. The budget grew under his tenure as majority leader by some 50%, which perhaps made his loss to Bruno in 1994 easier.
He opposed George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
's nomination for governor in 1994. After the election, Governor-Elect Pataki became de facto party leader, and ousted Marino in late November 1994 with the aid of much more conservative Republicans from Upstate
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
and Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
despite the fact that Marino's deputy and closest ally, Jess Present
Jess Present
Jess J. Present was a New York State Senator from Jamestown, New York.He joined the New York State Assembly in 1966 but only stayed two terms, moving to the New York State Senate in 1968 after James F. Hastings left for the U.S...
, was in fact from Western New York. In Marino's place, Republicans elected Joseph Bruno
Joseph Bruno
Joseph L. Bruno is an American businessman, and Republican politician. He was the Temporary President of the New York State Senate and its majority leader. Most recently he also served as Lieutenant Governor of New York ....
, a conservative from the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
.
He resigned from the legislature, effective February 8, 1995, having been stripped of all of his leadership positions.
He died, at the age of 74, of tongue cancer at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre
Rockville Centre, New York
Rockville Centre is a village located in Nassau County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 24,023. The town is made up of middle to upper middle class residents, most of the wealthier residents residing on the north side of town near the...
, New York. His wife Ethel died May 10, 2004.
Sources
- McFadden, Robert D. "Ralph J. Marino, Former State Senate Leader, Dies at 74." The New York Times (Section 1; Column 3; Metropolitan Desk; Pg. 34), April 7, 2002.
- ibid
- Baker, Al. "And That's 20: Albany Budget Is Late Again." The New York Times (Section A; Column 1; Metropolitan Desk; Pg. 1; GRIDLOCK IN ALBANY: OVERVIEW), April 1, 2004.
- "Paid Notice: Deaths MARINO, ETHEL (NEE BERNSTEIN)." The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
(Section A; Column 3; Classified; Pg. 21), May 12, 2004