Stephen Minarik
Encyclopedia
Stephen J. Minarik III was a New York State political figure who served as the chairman of the Monroe County, New York
and New York State Republican
Committees.
in 1978 and received a bachelor's degree in political science
from the University of Rochester
in 1982. He credited working in his grandfather's restaurant, Steve's Treetop Inn, as key to his future political career.
He began his career in politics in 1979 with Young Americans For Freedom the nation's largest young conservative organization. He became active in government in 1983, when he was hired to be the assistant deputy county clerk in the office of the Monroe County Legislature's Republican majority. He worked on Republican campaigns, most notably those of Congressman Fred J. Eckert
and County Executive Lucien Morin. In 1988, he moved to a position in the county's community development administration and formed a campaign committee in 1989 to elect Republicans to the County Legislature. In 1990, the GOP hired him to be the executive director of its county committee which led to his election to chairman in 1992, a post he held for sixteen years.
During this time, he led the Republican Party to a takeover of the County Legislature and elected three consecutive Republican county executives: Robert L. King
, Jack Doyle, and Maggie Brooks
. Said Ben Smith
of the New York Observer
, "his record in Rochester is, in political terms, difficult to argue with: With only a slight Republican registration advantage, and working both as a paid political consultant and as county chairman, he took nearly all of the county’s important offices away from the ruling Democrats and built a formidable organization".
His successes as County Chairman led Governor George E. Pataki to select him to be the Republican state chairman in November 2004. Minarik quickly came under attack following his remarks on the election of Howard Dean
as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
, stating that the Democrats were now the party of Barbara Boxer
, Lynne Stewart
, and Howard Dean
.. These comments set off a national firestorm, with Pataki publicly rebuking Minarik, and Dean demanding an apology or Minarik's resignation. Minarik refused, calling this "just the latest Dean Scream, and stating that the Democrats would be wise to take action on members like Lynne Stewart
, rather than attacking me. Maybe then the Democratic Party can start to regain some credibility with the American people.
Minarik also earned the ire of State Senator Serphin Maltese
for leading a successful push to revamp the state committee's bylaws, and to include the Log Cabin Republicans
on the State GOP's Executive Committee. Stated Minarik, in the Republican Party we are allowed to have diversity of opinion. While I may agree with Serph Maltese on many of the issues, particularly with regard to the Log Cabin Republican group, that doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to sit at our table and be part of our party. Inclusion won, and inclusion won handily. I'm happy about that.
Minarik was a vocal booster of former Massachusetts
Governor William F. Weld's candidacy for Governor, and unsuccessfully pushed for the party to run moderate Republican candidates for Governor and United States Senate. In June, 2006, the State Republican Committee proceeded to nominate a conservative slate of candidates not favored by Minarik, including Gubernatorial nominee John Faso
. Minarik prevailed on Weld to drop out of the Gubernatorial election to unify the party behind Faso.
Faso faced questions during the campaign regarding his conservatism, his pro-life
position and his lobbying activities. The Faso-led ticket lost all statewide offices to the Democrats for the first time in 60 years, and lost three Congressional seats. This included losses to Governor Eliot L. Spitzer and State Comptroller Alan Hevesi
; both of whom would later resign their offices in disgrace.Minarik stepped down as Chairman shortly after the 2006 elections.
In 2008, he stepped down as Chairman of the Monroe County Republican Committee at the request of Maggie Brooks
.
Minarik was a stroke survivor who reported developing a preference for country music after the incident.
He lived resided in Webster, New York
and was a partner in a political consulting firm, Impact Communications, LLC.
In an editorial mourning his passing, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle stated that,
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
and New York State Republican
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...
Committees.
Life
Minarik was the son of Stephen J., Jr. and Eleanor Minarik. He graduated from Irondequoit High SchoolIrondequoit High School
Irondequoit High School is a public high school in the town of Irondequoit, New York, a major suburb of Rochester, New York.-History:Irondequoit District Number 3 renamed their original Irondequoit Union Free School as Irondequoit High School in 1924. A larger property, the Williams farm, was...
in 1978 and received a bachelor's degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
in 1982. He credited working in his grandfather's restaurant, Steve's Treetop Inn, as key to his future political career.
He began his career in politics in 1979 with Young Americans For Freedom the nation's largest young conservative organization. He became active in government in 1983, when he was hired to be the assistant deputy county clerk in the office of the Monroe County Legislature's Republican majority. He worked on Republican campaigns, most notably those of Congressman Fred J. Eckert
Fred J. Eckert
Fred J. Eckert is a former one-term United States Representative from New York. He was born in Rochester, New York on May 6, 1941, graduated from North Texas State University in 1964 and took postgraduate courses at New York University and at the New School for Social Research from 1965 to 1966...
and County Executive Lucien Morin. In 1988, he moved to a position in the county's community development administration and formed a campaign committee in 1989 to elect Republicans to the County Legislature. In 1990, the GOP hired him to be the executive director of its county committee which led to his election to chairman in 1992, a post he held for sixteen years.
During this time, he led the Republican Party to a takeover of the County Legislature and elected three consecutive Republican county executives: Robert L. King
Robert L. King
Robert L. King is an American political figure most notable for having served as Monroe County, New York Executive and as the Chancellor of the State University of New York....
, Jack Doyle, and Maggie Brooks
Maggie Brooks
Maggie A. Brooks is a broadcasting personality and politician most notable for having served as the first female County Executive of Monroe County, New York....
. Said Ben Smith
Ben Smith (journalist)
Ben Smith is an American political journalist and blogger for the news outlet Politico, which was frequently cited during the 2008 presidential election. He formerly wrote for the Wall Street Journal Europe, the New York Sun, the New York Observer and wrote a political column for the New York Daily...
of the New York Observer
New York Observer
The New York Observer is a weekly newspaper first published in New York City on September 22, 1987, by Arthur L. Carter, a very successful former investment banker with publishing interests. The Observer focuses on the city's culture, real estate, the media, politics and the entertainment and...
, "his record in Rochester is, in political terms, difficult to argue with: With only a slight Republican registration advantage, and working both as a paid political consultant and as county chairman, he took nearly all of the county’s important offices away from the ruling Democrats and built a formidable organization".
His successes as County Chairman led Governor George E. Pataki to select him to be the Republican state chairman in November 2004. Minarik quickly came under attack following his remarks on the election of Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, stating that the Democrats were now the party of Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
, Lynne Stewart
Lynne Stewart
Lynne Irene Stewart is a former attorney who represented controversial, poor, and often unpopular defendants who was convicted on charges of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists in 2005, and sentenced to 28 months in prison. Her felony conviction led to her being automatically...
, and Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
.. These comments set off a national firestorm, with Pataki publicly rebuking Minarik, and Dean demanding an apology or Minarik's resignation. Minarik refused, calling this "just the latest Dean Scream, and stating that the Democrats would be wise to take action on members like Lynne Stewart
Lynne Stewart
Lynne Irene Stewart is a former attorney who represented controversial, poor, and often unpopular defendants who was convicted on charges of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists in 2005, and sentenced to 28 months in prison. Her felony conviction led to her being automatically...
, rather than attacking me. Maybe then the Democratic Party can start to regain some credibility with the American people.
Minarik also earned the ire of State Senator Serphin Maltese
Serphin Maltese
Serphin R. Maltese is a former Republican New York State Senator representing New York's 15th State Senate District, located in southern and central Queens. From 1986 to 1988, he was the chairman of the Conservative Party of New York....
for leading a successful push to revamp the state committee's bylaws, and to include the Log Cabin Republicans
Log Cabin Republicans
The Log Cabin Republicans is an organization that works within the Republican Party to advocate equal rights for all Americans, including gays and lesbians in the United States with state chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C...
on the State GOP's Executive Committee. Stated Minarik, in the Republican Party we are allowed to have diversity of opinion. While I may agree with Serph Maltese on many of the issues, particularly with regard to the Log Cabin Republican group, that doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to sit at our table and be part of our party. Inclusion won, and inclusion won handily. I'm happy about that.
Minarik was a vocal booster of former Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Governor William F. Weld's candidacy for Governor, and unsuccessfully pushed for the party to run moderate Republican candidates for Governor and United States Senate. In June, 2006, the State Republican Committee proceeded to nominate a conservative slate of candidates not favored by Minarik, including Gubernatorial nominee John Faso
John Faso
John Faso was the Republican nominee for Governor of New York in 2006, and was defeated by Democratic nominee Eliot Spitzer in the largest defeat for a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state's history. This followed his loss to Alan Hevesi four years earlier in his run for State Comptroller...
. Minarik prevailed on Weld to drop out of the Gubernatorial election to unify the party behind Faso.
Faso faced questions during the campaign regarding his conservatism, his pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
position and his lobbying activities. The Faso-led ticket lost all statewide offices to the Democrats for the first time in 60 years, and lost three Congressional seats. This included losses to Governor Eliot L. Spitzer and State Comptroller Alan Hevesi
Alan Hevesi
Alan G. Hevesi is a Democratic politician whoserved as a New York State Assemblyman from 1971 to 1993, as Comptroller of the City of New York from 1994 to 2001, and as State Comptroller for the State of New York from 2003 to 2006...
; both of whom would later resign their offices in disgrace.Minarik stepped down as Chairman shortly after the 2006 elections.
In 2008, he stepped down as Chairman of the Monroe County Republican Committee at the request of Maggie Brooks
Maggie Brooks
Maggie A. Brooks is a broadcasting personality and politician most notable for having served as the first female County Executive of Monroe County, New York....
.
Minarik was a stroke survivor who reported developing a preference for country music after the incident.
He lived resided in Webster, New York
Webster, New York
Webster may refer to two municipalities in Monroe County, New York in the United States:*Webster , New York*Webster , New York, located entirely within the town...
and was a partner in a political consulting firm, Impact Communications, LLC.
Death
Minarik died on April 12, 2009 of a heart attack, aged 49.In an editorial mourning his passing, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle stated that,
Wherever you stood on his political style and methods — and this page was a frequent critic over the years — former Monroe County Republican chairman Steve Minarik, who died Sunday, was an accomplished political leader in this community...People stayed on message, and Republican control of the county executive's office, the county Legislature and most town and village governments testified to his success over his 16-year tenure as county chair and two years as state chair.