Richard Gottfried
Richard Gottfried (Democratic Party) (also known as Dick) was a member of the New York State Assembly, representing District 75. He assumed office in 1971. He left office on January 1, 2023.
Gottfried (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) ran for re-election to the New York State Assembly to represent District 75. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Gottfried's other political experience includes being a State Committee member for the New York State Democratic Committee, a deputy majority leader and a chair of the codes committee for the New York State Assembly and a district leader of the New York County Democratic Executive Committee.
Biography
Gottfried earned his B.A. in Government from Cornell University and his J.D. from Columbia Law School.[1] His professional experience includes working as a law clerk and as an attorney.
Gottfried served as a New York state representative various districts from 1971-2023.
Committee assignments
2021-2022
Gottfried was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Gottfried was assigned to the following committees:
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| New York committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Health, Chair |
| • Higher Education |
| • Rules |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Gottfried served on the following committees:
| New York committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Health, Chair |
| • Higher Education |
| • Rules |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Gottfried served on the following committees:
| New York committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Health, Chair |
| • Higher Education |
| • Rules |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Gottfried served on the following committees:
| New York committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Health, Chair |
| • Higher Education |
| • Rules |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Gottfried served on the following committees:
| New York committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Health |
| • Higher Education |
| • Rules |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2022
Richard Gottfried did not file to run for re-election.
2020
See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2020
General election
General election for New York State Assembly District 75
Incumbent Richard Gottfried won election in the general election for New York State Assembly District 75 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Richard Gottfried (D / Working Families Party) | 99.1 | 53,573 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 469 | ||
| Total votes: 54,042 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Richard Gottfried advanced from the Democratic primary for New York State Assembly District 75.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Daniel Gorman (D)
Working Families Party primary election
The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Incumbent Richard Gottfried advanced from the Working Families Party primary for New York State Assembly District 75.
2018
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2018
Gottfried also ran in the 2018 election as a Working Families Party and Women's Equality Party candidate.
General election
General election for New York State Assembly District 75
Incumbent Richard Gottfried won election in the general election for New York State Assembly District 75 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Gottfried (D) | 99.3 | 43,804 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 328 | ||
| Total votes: 44,132 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New York State Assembly District 75
Incumbent Richard Gottfried advanced from the Democratic primary for New York State Assembly District 75 on September 13, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Gottfried |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2016
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2016
Elections for the New York State Assembly took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The filing deadline for major party candidates was July 14, 2016. The filing deadline for independent candidates was August 23, 2016.
Incumbent Richard Gottfried defeated Joseph A. Maffia in the New York State Assembly District 75 general election.[2][3]
| New York State Assembly, District 75 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Richard Gottfried Incumbent |
84.52% | 46,186 | |
| Republican | Joseph A. Maffia | 15.48% | 8,462 | |
| Total Votes | 54,648 | |||
| Source: New York Board of Elections | ||||
Incumbent Richard Gottfried ran unopposed in the New York State Assembly District 75 Democratic primary.[4][5]
| New York State Assembly, District 75 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Richard Gottfried Incumbent (unopposed) | |
Gottfried also ran on the Working Families Party ticket. Joseph A. Maffia ran unopposed in the New York State Assembly District 75 Republican primary.[4][5]
| New York State Assembly, District 75 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Joseph A. Maffia (unopposed) | |
Maffia also ran on the Reform Party ticket.
2014
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2014
Elections for the New York State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 10, 2014. Incumbent Richard Gottfried was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Harry DeMell was unopposed in the Republican primary. Gottfried also ran on the Working Families Party ticket. Gottfried defeated DeMell in the general election.[6][7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Gottfried Incumbent |
86.1% | 18,371 | |
| Republican | Harry DeMell | 13.9% | 2,964 | |
| Total Votes | 21,335 | |||
2012
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2012
Gottfried ran in the 2012 election for New York State Assembly District 75. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on September 13, 2012. He also ran on the Working Families Party ticket. He was unchallenged in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[9][10][11]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Gottfried Incumbent |
100% | 38,718 | |
| Total Votes | 38,718 | |||
2010
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2010
Gottfried ran unopposed in the September 14 Democratic primary. He defeated Michael Chan (R) in the general election on November 2.[12][13] In addition to running on the Democratic ticket, he ran on the Working Families ticket.
| New York State Assembly, District 75 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Richard Gottfried (D)
|
26,085 | |||
| Michael Chan (R) | 5,893 | |||
2008
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2008
On November 4, 2008, Gottfried won re-election to the New York State Assembly, District 75, defeating opponent Saul Farber (R).[14][15]
Gottfried raised $77,879 for his campaign while Farber raised $71,306.[16]
| New York State Assembly, District 75 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Richard Gottfried (D)
|
43,452 | |||
| Saul Farber (R) | 9,371 | |||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Richard Gottfried did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Richard Gottfried completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gottfried's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Health care -- especially passing the NY Health Act, by bill to create universal single-payer health coverage in NY. And other measures to improve access to health care, and reproductive choice. Protecting and strengthening rent laws & tenants rights, and increasing affordable housing. Funding mass transit. Human rights & civil liberties -- including GENDA (transgender rights, my bill).
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Health care. It's fundamental to life. And I agree with Martin Luther King: of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. Housing -- because of the abuse people suffer from landlords and developers. Civil liberties & human rights -- essential to humanity, Social justice -- Inequity and the abuse of power -- including economic power -- are unacceptable.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Robert F. Kennedy. Scott Crossfield -- He was the test pilot of the X-15. He turned down becoming an astronaut because he loved being a pilot and knew he was a good one. He died at 84, when the single-engine plane he was piloting crashed in a storm.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
"The Analects," by Confucius -- the Rosamont and Ames translation. "A Few Good Men," the Aaron Sorkin movie. "We're supposed to fight for people who can't fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willie."
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Thinking carefully, and a commitment to being useful.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I was raised with good values.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Focusing on substance, thinking carefully, and serving constituents and community groups.
What legacy would you like to leave?
Enacting and implementing the NY Health Act.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
The death of Stalin. I was 5 years old. He died of a stroke. I remember hearing the news on the radio and my mother telling that was what my grandfather had.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
Summer intern at the 1967 NY State Constitutional Convention. It lasted about 2 months.
What happened on your most awkward date?
Inappropriate question for a candidate questionnaire. Shame on you.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Chanukah -- it's about liberation.
What is your favorite book? Why?
Winnie the Pooh. It reflects Obama's advice to his children: "Be kind; be useful."
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
Don't know.
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
I don't know. I assume the term "thing" excludes my wife.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Simple Gifts, the Shaker hymn. 'Tis a gift to be simple. 'Tis a gift to be free. 'Tis a gift to come down where you ought to be." I don't care for the rest of the lyrics. The tune is beautiful, and became a great Aaron Copeland piece.
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
Controlling my weight.
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
State assembly members tend to be lower on the socio-economic ladder than senators. Historically, the state senate has been dominated by Republicans, while for the last several decades, the Assembly has had a strong Democratic majority.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
Not necessarily. We benefit from having a mix of backgrounds.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Defending and expanding what we do for social justice, in health care, housing, education, transportation, labor. And advancing human rights.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
Cordial and cooperative. But the authors of the Federalist Papers have it right -- we're not meant to be pals or subservient one to the other. I don't think I've ever known of a mayor, governor or president who truly embodied that principle.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Of course. People need to be open to understanding one another's ideas and working cooperatively.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
A combination of a relatively "independent" entity to propose district lines, with the ultimate decision being made by the lawmaking process. The public credibility of the independent entity's plan will temper the politics of the lawmaking process.
If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?
The Health Committee, which I chair, deals with the issue that I am most focused on and challenges me the most. The Higher Education Committee's work, especially dealing with professional licensure, constantly raises interesting and important issues.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
I always admired the late Al Blumenthal, from the Upper West Side. He was about the most articulate person I've known, and profoundly committed to progressive values.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
No. 'Tis a gift to come down where you ought to be.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
I hear many stories about tenants being harassed by their landlord in innumerable different ways. That always burns me.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of New York scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2023
In 2023, the New York State Legislature was in session from January 4 to June 21.
- Legislators are scored on bills related to the fire service.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on their support of bills related to the environment, environmental justice, public health, and transportation.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the New York State Legislature was in session from January 5 to June 4.
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2021
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In 2021, the New York State Legislature was in session from January 6 to June 10.
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2020
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In 2020, the New York State Legislature was in session from January 8 to December 31.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the New York State Legislature was in session from January 9 through January 8, 2020.
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2018
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In 2018, the 202nd New York State Legislature, second annual session, was in session from January 3 through June 20.
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2017
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In 2017, the 202nd New York State Legislature, first annual session, was in session from January 4 through December 31. A recess began June 21, and there was a special session June 28-29.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the 201st New York State Legislature, second annual session, was in session from January 6 through June 18.
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2015
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In 2015, the 201st New York State Legislature, first annual session, was in session from January 7 through June 25.
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2014
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In 2014, the 200th New York State Legislature, second annual session, was in session from January 8 to June 19, 2014.
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2013
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In 2013, the 200th New York State Legislature, first annual session, was in session from January 9 to December 31.
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2012
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In 2012, the 199th New York State Legislature, second annual session, was in session from January 4 to June 22, 2012.
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2011
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In 2011, the 199th New York State Legislature, first annual session, was in session from January 5 to June 20, 2011.
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Endorsements
2012
In 2012, Gottfried’s endorsements included the following:[17]
- 32BJ/SEIU
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Gottfried and his wife, Louise, have one child; Michael.[18]
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography of Rep. Gottfried,” accessed August 1, 2014
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "2016 General Election Candidate List," accessed October 11, 2016
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Election results, 2016," accessed December 23, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 New York State Board of Elections, "Filings received for the 2016 State/Local Primary," accessed August 29, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 New York State Board of Elections, "Election returns September 13, 2016," accessed November 6, 2016
- ↑ New York Board of Elections, "Certification for the September 9, 2014, State Primary Election," accessed December 17, 2014
- ↑ New York Board of Elections, "Primary results for September 9, 2014," accessed October 1, 2014
- ↑ New York Board of Elections, "NYS Board of Elections Assembly Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed December 17, 2014
- ↑ State of New York, State Board of Elections, "Candidate List for the September 13, 2012, State Primary Election," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ State of New York, State Board of Elections, "Official September 13, 2012, Primary Results," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ State of New York, State Board of Elections, "Official Assembly Election Returns Nov. 6, 2012," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ New York Times, "NY state legislative election results," accessed February 11, 2014
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Official Primary results from September 14, 2010," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Official Primary results from September 9, 2008," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Official Assembly Election Returns November 4, 2008," accessed July 31, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Report on 2008 Campaign donations in New York," accessed August 1, 2014
- ↑ New York Daily News, "32BJ/SEIU Endorses For State Senate, Assembly," August 1, 2012
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography of Rep. Gottfried,” accessed August 1, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
New York State Assembly District 75 1971-2023 |
Succeeded by Tony Simone (D) |
