James Garner (politician)
Encyclopedia
James Garner is a U.S. politician from the Republican party who was mayor
of the Village of Hempstead, New York
from 1988 to 2005, and was the first African-American to be elected a mayor on Long Island
.
During his tenure as mayor, Garner took a lead role in revitalization, redevelopment, and housing issues facing Hempstead, and was a panelist on the 2002 White House Conference on Minority Homeownership, among other roles. In 2003 the United States Conference of Mayors
elected Garner its 61st president, a position he held for one year.
In 2004, Garner was nominated by the Republican Party to challenge Representative
Carolyn McCarthy
of New York's fourth district. The race was widely expected to be a close one, but McCarthy won with 63% of the vote. Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry
carried 55% of the district's vote in that same election. Six months later in March, 2005, Garner was defeated by Democrat
Wayne Hall in his reelection bid for Mayor of Hempstead. This was also evident in the 2009 race for mayor when Hall defeated Garner with 48 percent of the total vote.
Prior to becoming Hempstead mayor, Garner served one term on the Hempstead Village Board of Trustees. He is a Vietnam-era veteran and holds a B.S. from Adelphi University
, and founded a pest-control company that is today owned and operated by his family. His membership in community groups includes the American Legion
and the NAACP.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the Village of Hempstead, New York
Hempstead (village), New York
Hempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:...
from 1988 to 2005, and was the first African-American to be elected a mayor 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...
.
During his tenure as mayor, Garner took a lead role in revitalization, redevelopment, and housing issues facing Hempstead, and was a panelist on the 2002 White House Conference on Minority Homeownership, among other roles. In 2003 the United States Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors, sometimes referred to as the United States Council of Mayors, is the official non-partisan organization for cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The cities are each represented by their mayor or other chief elected official...
elected Garner its 61st president, a position he held for one year.
In 2004, Garner was nominated by the Republican Party to challenge Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Carolyn McCarthy
Carolyn McCarthy
Carolyn McCarthy is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in central Long Island in west-central Nassau County and includes Mineola, the Five Towns, East Rockaway, Rockville Centre, Oceanside, Garden City, Hempstead,...
of New York's fourth district. The race was widely expected to be a close one, but McCarthy won with 63% of the vote. Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
carried 55% of the district's vote in that same election. Six months later in March, 2005, Garner was defeated by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Wayne Hall in his reelection bid for Mayor of Hempstead. This was also evident in the 2009 race for mayor when Hall defeated Garner with 48 percent of the total vote.
Prior to becoming Hempstead mayor, Garner served one term on the Hempstead Village Board of Trustees. He is a Vietnam-era veteran and holds a B.S. from Adelphi University
Adelphi University
Adelphi University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Garden City, in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is the oldest institution of higher education on Long Island. For the sixth year, Adelphi University has been named a “Best Buy” in higher education by the Fiske Guide to...
, and founded a pest-control company that is today owned and operated by his family. His membership in community groups includes the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
and the NAACP.