Herman Badillo ( , ; August 21, 1929 – December 3, 2014) <!--not a BLOG, regular story --> was an American lawyer and politician who served as borough president of The Bronx and United States Representative, and ran for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican elected to these posts, and the first Puerto Rican mayoral candidate in a major city in the continental United States.
Early years and personal life
Badillo was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico.<!--- much of this article is just a rewording of this Federal site's info. It's a public work, so it can be reprinted. CREDIT? this citation links to LOC (Library of Congress). The remaining links have value as further reading and to give more details. New York Post and New York Times articles covered him. --> When he was 11 years old, both of his parents died of tuberculosis and he was sent to live with his aunt in New York City. After graduating from the public school system at Haaren High School, Badillo attended the City College of New York earning a Bachelor in Business Administration in 1951. In 1954 he received an LL.B. from Brooklyn Law School, graduating first in his class. The next year he was admitted to the New York State Bar. In 1956, he also became a certified public accountant.
Early political career
After joining the Caribe Democratic Club in 1958, Badillo held various offices within the City and State, including Bronx Borough President in 1966. Prior to that he served as New York Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development. In 1968 a mysterious fire burned part of the interior. Though still repairable, it was demolished in 1969.
U.S. House of Representatives
In 1970 Badillo was elected to the United States House of Representatives from New York's 21st District in the South Bronx, becoming the first Puerto Rican to so serve. He was re-elected for three subsequent consecutive terms. He was also a member of the Committee on Education and Labor.
In 1976 he was challenged by South Bronx Councilman Ramon Velez in a contest for the Democratic Party nomination for Congressman of the 21st District. Badillo was reelected easily with 75 percent of the vote. In December of that year, he was one of the five Latino members of Congress who established the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. His closest contest came in his second attempt when he was defeated by then-New York City Comptroller Abe Beame in a runoff primary, in 1973. This was the first election with a primary run off.
In 1981 and 1985 he did not appear on the ballot, dropping out after early moves to stage a campaign failed to generate broad enough support. Badillo unsuccessfully sought a Republican mayoral nomination in 2001, losing in a landslide vote for billionaire businessman and political neophyte Michael Bloomberg who would later prevail in that general election. In 1986 Badillo was the Democratic nominee for New York State Comptroller, losing to Republican incumbent Edward Regan. During these years Badillo was also active in Presidential politics, supporting Alan Cranston for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and Michael Dukakis in 1988.
In 1993 Eric Adams, while President of the Grand Council of Guardians, accused Badillo of betraying his Hispanic heritage by having as his wife a white, Jewish woman (Irma, to whom Badillo had been married for 32 years, and who had Alzheimer's), instead of a Latina. Badillo responded that "Voting based on race is the definition of racism, and has no place in a civilized multiracial society..."
Republican Party switch and 2001 mayoral campaign
In the late 1990s Badillo formally joined the Republican Party. He resigned as education special counsel and CUNY Chairman when announcing his candidacy for mayor in 2001. Despite his strong support of Mayor Giuliani, Badillo's bid for mayor never received serious support from Giuliani or the Republican Party, and he lost badly in the Republican primary to billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who had just switched parties as Badillo had done earlier.
Death
Badillo died on December 3, 2014, at the Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, of congestive heart failure at the age of 85.