Pete Lopez (politician)

Peter D. Lopez
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 102nd district
Assumed office
January 1, 2013
Preceded by Joel M. Miller
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 127nd district
In office
2012–2007
Succeeded by Albert A. Stirpe Jr.
Personal details
Born (1961-04-10) April 10, 1961[1]
Miami, Florida[1]
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Bridgett[2]
Children four[2]
Residence Schoharie, New York[2]
Alma mater SUNY Cobleskill
SUNY Albany (M.P.A.)
Profession politician
Website Official website

Peter D. "Pete" Lopez (born April 10, 1961)[1] is a politician and member of the New York State Assembly representing the 102nd Assembly District (established in 2012),[3] which includes all of Schoharie County and portions of Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Ulster counties.[4] He is a Republican with extensive local and state experience and was ranked one of "Newsmax's 50 Most Influential Latino Republicans" in 2016.[5]

Early life

Peter D. Lopez was born in Miami, Florida;[1] his family moved to Schoharie, New York, where he was raised. He graduated from Schoharie Central School, the State University College at Cobleskill, and the University at Albany, where he received a Master of Public Administration degree[3] in 1988.[2]

Politics

Lopez became interested in public service as a young man, joining the Republican Party and running for the Schoharie Village Board at the age of 20. He lost to a candidate endorsed by the mayor. Lopez later won a seat on the Village Board and worked his way to being elected as Supervisor.[6]

Lopez worked as staff to the New York State Legislature for 21 years, collaborating with a broad range of public and private interests at the federal, state and local levels.[6] Among his position was as Associate Director of the Senate Agriculture Committee (Senator John R. Kuhl, Jr., Chairman), and Assistant Director of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources (Senator Charles D. Cook, Chairman).[6] He also served as the District Office Director for Assembly Minority Leader John Faso, who ran for Governor of New York in 2006, and managed constituent services, including helping seniors and veterans access benefits.[2][6]

In 2004, Lopez was elected County Clerk with about 70 percent of the vote; he served until 2006.

Elected to state office

Lopez was first elected to the State Assembly in November 2006,[3] when he defeated Siena College professor Scott Trees. He won a total of 58 percent of the vote on the Republican, Conservative, and Independence party lines. Lopez ran uncontested in the November 2008[7][8] and November 2010 general elections.[4][9] In 2012 he won from the newly defined 102nd Assembly district.

Pete Lopez has supported energy conservation and the development of alternative energy sources in the Mohawk Valley, including wind farms.[10] In 2007 he and his staff organized a tour of the Maple Ridge, Fenner, and Madison wind farms in New York state.[11] Lopez also supports biodiesel research and development in the state, as well as tourism, family farms, and manufacturing.[10]

Lopez has been a leader in the fight against the opioid epidemic, sponsoring Laree's Law, which holds drug dealers accountable for the deaths caused by the sale of opioids and other narcotics.[12] Lopez has also been vocal about Albany's culture of corruption, and has called on fellow lawmakers to strip the pensions of Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos, who were convicted of corruption charges.[13] Lopez has spent almost his entire career in public service, and rejects the influence of special interests and lobbyists in Albany.

Personal life

Lopez is a member of the SUNY Cobleskill Foundation Board as well as the Bassett Hospital Board. He has become a black belt in karate.[2][6]

He has long been active in numerous volunteer organizations, including as a member of an advisory committee on runaway and troubled youth, and as Chairman of the Schoharie Main Street Committee. He was a founding member of Habitat for Humanity of Schoharie County.[6]

Honors

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "State Assembly: Peter D. Lopez (R), District 127". Capitol Info. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Assembly Member Peter D. 'Pete' Lopez - Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "Assembly District 127, Peter D. Lopez: Biography". New York State Assembly. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Assembly Election Returns: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 2010.
  5. ↑ Newsmax's 50 Most Influential Latino Republicans
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Peter D. Lopez", Hispanic Coalition of New York, Inc., 2011, accessed 30 December 2014
  7. ↑ "Election Results 2008: New York State Legislature". The New York Times. 2008.
  8. ↑ "Assembly Election Returns: November 4, 2008" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 2008.
  9. ↑ "Election Results 2010: New York State Legislature". The New York Times. 2010.
  10. 1 2 Ariel Zangla, "NY Assemblyman Peter Lopez challenged by retired cop James Miller in 102nd District", Daily Freeman, 24 October 2012
  11. ↑ "Wind Tour". New York State Assembly. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  12. ↑ "New York State Assembly | Bill Search and Legislative Information". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-12.
  13. ↑ "New York State Assembly | Peter D. Lopez". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-12.
New York Assembly
Preceded by
Dan Hooker		 New York State Assembly, 127th District
2007–present 		Incumbent
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