Randy Kuhl
Encyclopedia
John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. is an American
Republican politician, and former member of the United States House of Representatives
from New York
. He represented New York's 29th congressional district
for two terms before being defeated for reelection by Eric Massa
on November 4, 2008 by margin of 51%-49%. After waiting for two weeks pending recounts, Kuhl conceded to Massa on November 21, 2008.
, where he now lives. He graduated from Union College
in Schenectady, New York
with a B.A. in civil engineering in 1966, and then got a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law
in 1969. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1970.
Kuhl was a member of the New York Assembly from 1981 to 1987. In 1986, after the retirement of Bill "Cadillac" Smith, Kuhl ran for Smith's seat and won. Kuhl served in the New York State Senate
from 1987 to 2004. His career included posts as the attorney for several municipalities including Steuben County
. He was appointed the Senate's Assistant Majority Leader for Operations at the beginning of the 1995 legislative session. During his time in the legislature, he was a practicing lawyer with an office in Bath
.
One of Kuhl's signature issues in the state legislature was Upstate secession. Each year, he regularly introduced a bill "to let New York City
, Long Island
and Westchester
and Rockland
Counties became a separate state called New York; the rest of the counties would become West New York. At least one poll in upstate has found the idea to be wildly popular." Kuhl summed up his secessionist
views by saying that "his constituents in the Finger Lakes region often wonder, 'Why don't you just cut the City of New York off and let it drift out to sea?'"
In 1997, while serving as a state senator, Kuhl was arrested and convicted of drunk driving. His driver's license was revoked for six months.
, a Republican multimillionaire who had displayed a moderate bent during 18 years in Washington. In the Republican primary, Kuhl, who was supported by Houghton, defeated Monroe County
Legislator Mark Assini. He then defeated 27-year-old Democrat Samara Barend
.
The campaign finished out with harsh television commercials casting Barend as devious and untrustworthy and Kuhl as a drunken driver whose breakup with his wife in the 1990s shed doubts on his fitness to hold office. Kuhl, who had been heavily favored in the Republican-leaning 29th District (registered Republicans outnumbered registered Democrats 3-2), won with 51% of the vote, as opposed to Barend's nearly 41%. (Conservative Party candidate Mark Assini, who dropped out of the race in September 2004, garnered 6%.) He was succeeded in the Senate by Republican George Winner.
rights, gun control
and tax increases. During his final term in the 110th Congress, he had the second highest lifetime rating (87.5%) from the American Conservative Union
out of the 29 Representatives from New York state. He was, however, a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership
.
Kuhl supported making then-President Bush's tax cuts permanent. In addition, he also advocated for a 10-cent reduction in federal gasoline taxes.
He supported the Iraq war and rebuilding efforts, saying "we must see this effort through." However, after the Democratic Party takeover of the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections, Kuhl shifted his focus somewhat. He went on record as opposing the military's "stop-loss" policy and addressed the issue of families in which both parents serve in the military.
Kuhl was a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker
. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.
In September 2007, Kuhl was noted in the news as being one of the most outspoken opponents of a plan by then-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer
to allow illegal aliens to apply for driver's licenses. He also became a prominent opponent of the SCHIP
expansion, a stance for which he earned significant animosity from various groups including MoveOn
, the Service Employees International Union
, and even former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer
.
During his time as a state senator, Kuhl was an advocate of New York City secession
and unsuccessfully introduced several bills to separate Upstate New York
from downstate.
He voted for the Bailout bill on October 3, after voting against it the first time.
of Corning
, a former Republican.
In March 2006, Kuhl invited President George W. Bush
to Canandaigua
. Bush spoke at Canandaigua Academy, a public high school. After the high school visit Bush's motorcade visited Ferris Hills, a senior living community for upper-income residents. (The trip had previously been billed as including a visit to a "nursing home".) Bush took questions for about fifteen minutes from these seniors about his new prescription-drug plan, Medicare Part D.
In September 2006, Kuhl welcomed Vice President Dick Cheney
to a major fundraiser in Rochester. Kuhl said he couldn't agree more with Cheney's assessment that combating terrorists around the world stands as the top issue of this campaign. A flow of bad news from the war zone needs to be countered by a frank discussion of reality, he said. "They don't necessarily understand the full importance of our presence there," he said of his Finger Lakes and Southern Tier constituents.
Preliminary results from the November election showed Kuhl narrowly beating Massa by a margin of approximately 5,600 votes (out of about 193,000 cast). Massa had initially refused to concede the election and was expected to file a challenge, but on November 15, 2006 Massa conceded the election and contacted Kuhl to congratulate him. According to the final election results, which were certified by the New York State Board of Elections on December 14, 2006, Kuhl won by a margin of 6,033 votes (out of 206,121 cast).
, losing the rematch by a narrow 51-49 margin, roughly reversing the outcome of the 2006 elections. Kuhl finished behind Massa in Cattaraugus County, a county Kuhl carried by a 56-44 margin in 2006 (and one that voted for Presidential candidate John McCain
in 2008), likely contributing to the loss. Because the race was so close, Kuhl did not concede the election until November 21, 2008.
In March 2010, after Massa announced he was dropping out of his re-election bid, Kuhl issued a statement, his first since conceding:
, primarily about the Massa situation. He was considering entering the special election for the vacant seat, but passed on it, endorsing former Corning mayor Tom Reed
.
in the New York State Assembly
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican politician, and former member of the United States House of Representatives
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...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He represented New York's 29th congressional district
New York's 29th congressional district
The Twenty-ninth district of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives which covers a portion of the Appalachian mountains in New York known as the "Southern Tier." It is represented by Tom Reed...
for two terms before being defeated for reelection by Eric Massa
Eric Massa
-March to the Primaries:Freshman incumbent Randy Kuhl had been elected to Congress with slightly over 50% of the popular vote in a three way race in 2004. In early 2005, former U.S. Naval officer Eric J.J. Massa, a long-time friend of 2004 presidential candidate General Wesley Clark filed to run...
on November 4, 2008 by margin of 51%-49%. After waiting for two weeks pending recounts, Kuhl conceded to Massa on November 21, 2008.
Early life and education
Kuhl was born April 19, 1943 in Hammondsport, New YorkHammondsport, New York
Hammondsport is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 731 at the 2000 census. The village is named after its founding father.The Village of Hammondsport is in the Town of Urbana and is northeast of Bath, New York....
, where he now lives. He graduated from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
with a B.A. in civil engineering in 1966, and then got a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law , founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law school of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. It is one of only four law schools in Upstate New York Syracuse University College of Law (SUCOL), founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law...
in 1969. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1970.
New York legislature
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
from 1987 to 2004. His career included posts as the attorney for several municipalities including Steuben County
Steuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
. He was appointed the Senate's Assistant Majority Leader for Operations at the beginning of the 1995 legislative session. During his time in the legislature, he was a practicing lawyer with an office in Bath
Bath (village), New York
Bath is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 5,641 at the 2000 census. Bath is the county seat of Steuben County. The community was named either for the English city or for Lady Bath, daughter of William Pulteney, one of the original landowners.The Village of...
.
One of Kuhl's signature issues in the state legislature was Upstate secession. Each year, he regularly introduced a bill "to let New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, 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...
and Westchester
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
and Rockland
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
Counties became a separate state called New York; the rest of the counties would become West New York. At least one poll in upstate has found the idea to be wildly popular." Kuhl summed up his secessionist
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
views by saying that "his constituents in the Finger Lakes region often wonder, 'Why don't you just cut the City of New York off and let it drift out to sea?'"
In 1997, while serving as a state senator, Kuhl was arrested and convicted of drunk driving. His driver's license was revoked for six months.
2004 election
In 2004, Kuhl ran for the House seat of retiring U.S. Representative Amo HoughtonAmo Houghton
Amory "Amo" Houghton Jr. is a politician from the state of New York, a retired member of the House of Representatives, and member of one of upstate New York's most prominent families in business, the Houghton family.-Early life:...
, a Republican multimillionaire who had displayed a moderate bent during 18 years in Washington. In the Republican primary, Kuhl, who was supported by Houghton, defeated Monroe County
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....
Legislator Mark Assini. He then defeated 27-year-old Democrat Samara Barend
Samara Barend
Samara "Sam" Barend was the 2004 Democratic Party nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives for the 29th Congressional district of New York State...
.
The campaign finished out with harsh television commercials casting Barend as devious and untrustworthy and Kuhl as a drunken driver whose breakup with his wife in the 1990s shed doubts on his fitness to hold office. Kuhl, who had been heavily favored in the Republican-leaning 29th District (registered Republicans outnumbered registered Democrats 3-2), won with 51% of the vote, as opposed to Barend's nearly 41%. (Conservative Party candidate Mark Assini, who dropped out of the race in September 2004, garnered 6%.) He was succeeded in the Senate by Republican George Winner.
Political positions
Kuhl, a seasoned New York politician, was the most politically experienced freshman of the 2004 House class. He was considered a fairly reliable conservative who generally voted against abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
rights, gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
and tax increases. During his final term in the 110th Congress, he had the second highest lifetime rating (87.5%) from the American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
out of the 29 Representatives from New York state. He was, however, a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership
Republican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
.
Kuhl supported making then-President Bush's tax cuts permanent. In addition, he also advocated for a 10-cent reduction in federal gasoline taxes.
He supported the Iraq war and rebuilding efforts, saying "we must see this effort through." However, after the Democratic Party takeover of the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections, Kuhl shifted his focus somewhat. He went on record as opposing the military's "stop-loss" policy and addressed the issue of families in which both parents serve in the military.
Kuhl was a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.
In September 2007, Kuhl was noted in the news as being one of the most outspoken opponents of a plan by then-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
to allow illegal aliens to apply for driver's licenses. He also became a prominent opponent of the SCHIP
State Children's Health Insurance Program
The State Children's Health Insurance Program – later known more simply as the Children's Health Insurance Program – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children...
expansion, a stance for which he earned significant animosity from various groups including MoveOn
MoveOn
MoveOn is an American non-profit, progressive or liberal public policy advocacy group and political action committee, which has raised millions of dollars for candidates it identifies as "moderates" or "progressives" in the United States. It was formed in 1998 in response to the impeachment of...
, the Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
, and even former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
.
During his time as a state senator, Kuhl was an advocate of New York City secession
New York City secession
There are and have been several secession movements in New York state. The most prominent amongst these have been the movements for a state of New York City, a state of Long Island, a state of Niagara , and a state of Upstate New York....
and unsuccessfully introduced several bills to separate Upstate New York
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...
from downstate.
He voted for the Bailout bill on October 3, after voting against it the first time.
Committee assignments
- Agriculture Committee
- Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
- Education and Labor Committee
- Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
- Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Subcommittee on Aviation
- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
- Deputy Minority Whip
2006 re-election campaign
Kuhl's Democratic opponent in the 2006 elections was former Navy officer Eric MassaEric Massa
-March to the Primaries:Freshman incumbent Randy Kuhl had been elected to Congress with slightly over 50% of the popular vote in a three way race in 2004. In early 2005, former U.S. Naval officer Eric J.J. Massa, a long-time friend of 2004 presidential candidate General Wesley Clark filed to run...
of Corning
Corning (city), New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,842 at the 2000 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company that developed the community.- Overview :The city of...
, a former Republican.
In March 2006, Kuhl invited President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to Canandaigua
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
. Bush spoke at Canandaigua Academy, a public high school. After the high school visit Bush's motorcade visited Ferris Hills, a senior living community for upper-income residents. (The trip had previously been billed as including a visit to a "nursing home".) Bush took questions for about fifteen minutes from these seniors about his new prescription-drug plan, Medicare Part D.
In September 2006, Kuhl welcomed Vice President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
to a major fundraiser in Rochester. Kuhl said he couldn't agree more with Cheney's assessment that combating terrorists around the world stands as the top issue of this campaign. A flow of bad news from the war zone needs to be countered by a frank discussion of reality, he said. "They don't necessarily understand the full importance of our presence there," he said of his Finger Lakes and Southern Tier constituents.
Preliminary results from the November election showed Kuhl narrowly beating Massa by a margin of approximately 5,600 votes (out of about 193,000 cast). Massa had initially refused to concede the election and was expected to file a challenge, but on November 15, 2006 Massa conceded the election and contacted Kuhl to congratulate him. According to the final election results, which were certified by the New York State Board of Elections on December 14, 2006, Kuhl won by a margin of 6,033 votes (out of 206,121 cast).
2008 re-election campaign
Kuhl's again faced Democratic nominee and former Navy officer Eric MassaEric Massa
-March to the Primaries:Freshman incumbent Randy Kuhl had been elected to Congress with slightly over 50% of the popular vote in a three way race in 2004. In early 2005, former U.S. Naval officer Eric J.J. Massa, a long-time friend of 2004 presidential candidate General Wesley Clark filed to run...
, losing the rematch by a narrow 51-49 margin, roughly reversing the outcome of the 2006 elections. Kuhl finished behind Massa in Cattaraugus County, a county Kuhl carried by a 56-44 margin in 2006 (and one that voted for Presidential candidate John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
in 2008), likely contributing to the loss. Because the race was so close, Kuhl did not concede the election until November 21, 2008.
Post-congressional career
Kuhl allowed his campaign Web site to expire, posted no updates on his social networking sites, and granted virtually no interviews after his concession.In March 2010, after Massa announced he was dropping out of his re-election bid, Kuhl issued a statement, his first since conceding:
"Tonight all of the 29th Congressional District will have Eric Massa and his family in their hearts and prayers. His reoccurrence of cancer is devastating and I wish him a full recovery. I know firsthand that Eric is a fighter and I have full confidence that he will beat cancer once again. I have received numerous calls and emails today regarding my political future and I truly appreciate all of those who believed in me and supported me during my 28 years of public service. I will address any political decisions in the future but right now it is important for Eric to get the treatment that he needs to recover."Since that time, Kuhl has become more public and has been issuing more public statements and granting interviews to local radio station WLEA
WLEA
WLEA is a radio station broadcasting a combined talk radio and oldies format. Licensed to Hornell, New York, USA, the station serves the Elmira-Corning area. The station is currently owned by Pmj Communications, Inc...
, primarily about the Massa situation. He was considering entering the special election for the vacant seat, but passed on it, endorsing former Corning mayor Tom Reed
Tom Reed (Mayor)
Thomas W. Reed II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since winning both the special and general elections on November 2, 2010. He is a member of the Republican Party...
.
Personal
Randy Kuhl graduated from Hammondsport Central School, and earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Union College (1966). In 1969 he received his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law. He successfully ran for the New York State Assembly in 1980, the New York State Senate in 1986, and the U.S. House of Representatives from 2004 until 2008.Family
Randy Kuhl currently lives in Hammondsport; he is the father of three sons and is divorced. His son, James Kuhl, has been mentioned as a potential political candidate in his own right, as a potential successor to James BacallesJames Bacalles
James Bacalles is a member of the New York State Assembly, for the 136th district first elected in 1995. He is a Republican. Prior to his election to the assembly he served as mayor of Corning...
in the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
.
External links
- Federal Election Commission — John Kuhl campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues — Randy Kuhl issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org — John R. Kuhl Jr campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart — Representative John R. 'Randy' Kuhl Jr. (NY) profile
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Randy Kuhl profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Randy Kuhl voting record
- Congressman Randy Kuhl official campaign site