John DeFrancisco

Early life, education, and military service

DeFrancisco graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, New York. He received his Bachelor's degree from Syracuse University, where he played college baseball, and later graduated from Duke University Law School. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he served as a judge advocate.

Career

DeFrancisco spent eleven years on the Syracuse Common Council as both a Councilor-at-large and then the Council President. He has also served in the past as the President of the Syracuse City School District Board of Education and the Vice-President of the Conference of Large City Boards of Education. He was also of counsel at the law firm of DeFrancisco and Falgiatano; an associate with the law firm of Simpson, Thatcher and Bartlett; a Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force; and the Assistant District Attorney in Onondaga County from 1975 until 1977.

New York State Senate

DeFrancisco was first elected to the State Senate in 1992.

The Albany Times Union described DeFrancisco as "an outspoken lawmaker and attorney known for his skills in floor debates. In 2010, after Republicans had lost their majority status in the Senate, DeFrancisco was "appointed chief interrogator for the Senate Republican Conference with carte blanche to grill Democrats and spotlight their flaws." A former Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. DeFrancisco "authored the legislation that led to the implementation of the Amber Alert system" and secured state funding for a "cord blood bank [in Syracuse] that will transform medical waste into life-saving treatments." DeFrancisco opposed public financing of political campaigns, and has voted against medical marijuana legislation, the DREAM Act, and the gun control law known as the NY SAFE Act. DeFrancisco also voted against allowing same-sex marriage in New York during Senate roll-call for the 2011 Marriage Equality Act, which the Senate narrowly passed 33-29.

In 2011, DeFrancisco supported legislation that would increase medical malpractice legal fees; at the time, he was still practicing law at a firm that specialized in medical malpractice. Common Cause/New York, a good government group, accused DeFrancisco of acting in his own self-interest.

In 2015, following the resignation of Dean Skelos as Senate Majority Leader, DeFrancisco sought to succeed him in that post; however, Senate Republicans chose John J. Flanagan. Sen. DeFrancisco was elevated to the position of Senate Deputy Majority Leader in July 2015.

On April 26, 2018, DeFrancisco announced that he would not seek re-election to the Senate in November 2018.

2018 gubernatorial campaign

On January 30, 2018, DeFrancisco announced that he was running for the Republican nomination for governor of New York; he stated that "'enough is enough.'" On April 25, 2018, he withdrew his candidacy after party leaders—who had initially given him their support—threw their support to Molinaro instead. While he considered Molinaro an inferior candidate and was disappointed by some endorsers abandoning his campaign for Molinaro's, DeFrancisco refused to divide the party with a primary battle. He nonetheless declined to endorse Molinaro, instead endorsing Stephanie Miner, a Democrat running on a third-party line. Incumbent Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo defeated Molinaro by a margin of 60% to 36%.

Personal life

DeFrancisco and his wife, Linda, have three children. As of 2018, they had eight grandchildren. They reside in DeWitt, New York. DeFrancisco plays the saxophone; according to Russ Tarby of Syracuse New Times, he "blows a mean sax on Night Train." He is a Roman Catholic.

Notes

References

1. Doran, Elizabeth. (2 June 2014). "CBA lands its biggest donation ever". Syracuse.com.
2. "Eight To Be Honored As Distinguished Alumni On Nov. 4".
3. Williams, Stephen. (7 February 2018). "Local senators endorse John DeFrancisco for governor".
4. DeWitt, Karen. (30 January 2018). "Third GOP Candidate Enters NY Gov. Race".
5. Weaver, Terri. (11 May 2015). "Who is John DeFrancisco, the Upstate guy who may become NY Senate leader".
6. Harding, Robert. (27 December 2013). "DeFrancisco: Cuomo signs bills ending double sales tax vehicles for military servicemembers, revising Youth Works tax credit".
7. Velasquez, Josefa. (3 January 2018). "Gov. Cuomo Unveils Litigious Agenda for New York State".
8. "About John A. DeFrancisco {{!}} NY State Senate".
9. Weiner, Mark. (January 31, 2018). "Who is John DeFrancisco? New York, meet your GOP candidate for governor".
10. Bragg, Chris. (30 July 2015). "DeFrancisco named deputy majority leader".
11. Goldberg, Delen. (22 June 2010). "NY State Sen. John DeFrancisco becomes GOP's 'pit bull'".
12. Precious, Tom. (30 January 2018). "Syracuse-area GOP senator announces bid for governor".
13. Santora, Sally. (19 August 2017). "Livingston County Republican Committee celebrates 50 years".
14. Mulder, James. (9 February 2017). "Long-awaited Syracuse cord blood bank turns waste into life-saving treatments".
15. Weaver, Teri. (11 May 2015). "Who is John DeFrancisco, the Upstate guy who may become NY Senate leader".
16. Lovett, Kenneth. (21 March 2011). "Lawyer pol John DeFrancisco urges attorney malpractice fee boost". NY Daily News.
17. Campbell, Jon. (11 May 2015). "Skelos out, Flanagan in as NY Senate leader". Poughkeepsie Journal.
18. Harding, Robert. (April 26, 2018). "Longtime state Sen. John DeFrancisco will not run for re-election". AuburnPub.com.
19. Roy, Yancey. (31 January 2018). "Upstate senator jumps into governor's race: 'Enough is enough'". Newsday.
20. Lovett, Kenneth. (April 25, 2018). "Sen. John DeFrancisco suspends bid for N.Y. governor after announcing, 'I am not going to be actively campaigning'". [[New York Daily News]].
21. Gormley, Michael. (June 19, 2018). "Ex-Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner to run for governor". Newsday.
22. "2018 New York State Election Results".
23. Karlin, Rick. (30 January 2018). "DeFrancisco announces gubernatorial run". Times Union.
24. Vielkind, Jimmy. (10 June 2015). "DeFrancisco's L.C.A. Show rebuttal".
25. Tarby, Russ. (21 December 2016). "Winter Blues Blowout".