John McEneny

Infobox State Representative
honorific-prefix =Honorable
name =John McEneny
honorific-suffix =

---

height =150px
state_assembly =New York
district =104^th
term_start =1993
term_end =present
preceded =Richard Conners
succeeded =Incumbent
birth_date =1943
birth_place =Albany, New York
residence =Albany, New York
party =Democrat
spouse =widowed (Barbara)
website =

John McEneny, also known as Jack McEneny (born August 30, 1943 in Albany, New York) is an American politician of the Democratic Party, and is currently a member of the New York State Assembly, representing about half of Albany County in the 104th Assembly District. [ [http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=104&sh=map Map of 104th Assembly District] . Accessed March 19, 2008.] [http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=104&sh=bio Biography at Official web site] . Accessed March 19, 2008.] [http://www.smartvoter.org/2006/11/07/ny/state/vote/mceneny_j/ League of Women Voters web site] . Accessed March 19, 2008.]

Background and early career

McEneny went to the Christian Brothers Academy, graduating with fellow future assemblyman Ronald Canestrari. He graduated from Siena College with a bachelor's degree in history, and attended New Mexico State University and the Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served in the Peace Corps in Colombia, South America, and worked as a social worker and for the youth program in Albany. Long-time Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd appointed him to lead the Albany County office of CETA Job Corps from 1971-1984. He directed the 1980 United States Census for the Capital District. McEneny was married for many years to his wife, Barbara Leonard, and is widowed; they have four children and a grand-daughter.

McEneny's daughter Rachel married John Spencer, Jr., the son of Republican politician John Spencer, the former mayor of Yonkers, New York. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9407E5DC1431F932A3575BC0A96F958260 New York Times Wedding Story] . Accessed March 19, 2008.]

Work as an historian

McEneny has a degree in history, worked for over a decade as Albany County Historian, and remains involved in issues of archiving historical documents. [ [http://www.archives.nysed.gov/apt/about/aboutapt_board.shtml New York States Archives official web site] . Accessed March 19, 2008.] [ [http://www.albanycounty.org/departments/achor/off/ochap1.txt Albany County Hall of Records official web site] . Accessed March 19, 2008.] [ [http://www.historic-albany.org/mf03-honcom.html Albany Historic Foundation official web site] . Accessed March 19, 2008.] He is the author or co-author of several non-fiction books, including "Albany: Capital City on the Hudson". [ [http://www.amazon.com/Albany-Capital-John-J-McEneny/dp/0965475492 Amazon listing] , [http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=John+J.+McEneny Barnes and Noble listing] . Accessed March 19, 2008.]

He was a guest speaker at the 1999 national conference of American Youth Hostels.

Political career

McEneny served as the first director of the New York State "Urban Cultural Parks" program from 1985 to 1989. He was an assistant to Albany County Executive Jim Coyne from 1989 to 1991.

In his first election in 1991, McEneny won a write-in campaign for County Legislature.

After serving as chief of staff for state assemblyman Richard Conners for two years, Conners retired and McEneny ran for the position himself in 1992. He won a four-way primary for that seat in September 1992, and the general election that November. He was re-elected in 1994 and 1996.

In the 1997 primary, McEneny unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Mayor Gerald Jennings for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of the City of Albany, New York.

The following year, Jennings supported the race of Albany county legislator Gary Domalewicz in a primary election against McEneny. In September 1998, McEneny won with 75 % of the primary vote. He has easily won re-election since, in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, [ [http://www.albanycounty.com/electionResults/_pdf/GE04_RESULTS.pdf Albany County Board of Elections offcial returns for November 2, 2004] , see page 3. Accessed March 19, 2008.] and 2006. [ [http://www.albanycounty.com/electionResults/_pdf/GE06_ACCUMULATED_RESULTS.PDF Albany County Board of Elections offcial returns for November 7, 2006] , see page 3. Accessed March 19, 2008.]

In 2006, McEneny beat Jennings, this time in an election for New York State Democratic Committee, by a vote of 6,346 to 5,589. [ [http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=516421&category=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=9/13/2006 Times Union story about the 2006 election] (dead link?)]

He is a candidate for re-election for a ninth term in 2008.

ee also

* Governor of New York David A. Paterson
* Gerald Jennings
* List of New York State Assembly Members 2005-2006
* New York State Assembly
* List of members of the New York State Assembly
* List of Irish American politicians

References

External links

* [http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=104 Official State Assembly web site]