John Francis Quinn Jr. (born April 13, 1951) is a retired American politician and academic administrator from the state of New York. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005, and went on to serve as president of Erie Community College (ECC) from 2008 to 2017.
A native of the Buffalo area, Quinn taught in Orchard Park, New York; worked at a steel plant; and before his election to Congress in 1992, was involved in local politics, sitting on the Hamburg Town Council, as well as serving as the town's supervisor. While in Congress, he was considered a moderately conservative Republican, and was active in numerous committees, subcommittees, and caucuses as chair or member. Prior to becoming a congressional representative, as well as being the town's supervisor. After leaving Congress and prior to taking the top leadership post at ECC, Quinn was also president of a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
Background
Quinn was born in Buffalo, New York on April 13, 1951. His father, Jack Quinn Sr., was a locomotive engineer with the South Buffalo Railway, and also worked at the Erie County Public Library.
Education
Quinn graduated from Siena College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973 and the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1978 with a Master's degree in Education. Quinn also holds a school superintendent credential that he earned at the State University of New York at Fredonia. and football. Prior to entering the teaching field, Quinn briefly worked at the Bethlehem Steel Plant in Lackawanna, New York. Quinn was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992 representing most of Buffalo and suburban Erie County in the 30th District. On paper, the district was heavily Democratic, and had been made even more Democratic after redistricting in 1992. However, Quinn defeated Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski in an upset. He was re-elected five more times by surprisingly wide margins a few of which included Amtrak subsidies, Social Security, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistant Program. Despite such votes and initially being an unknown, Quinn was successful in Buffalo, much as Jack Kemp was twenty years earlier. Quinn was also viewed as being honorable, and he did not have any character issues. after his State of the Union Address was in response to Quinn's votes.
During the 2002 redistricting process, one map had Quinn drawn into a district with a longtime friend, Democrat John LaFalce. Ultimately, his district was preserved and renumbered as the 27th District. It covered nearly all of his former territory and added Chautauqua County. This came after New York lost a district in the 2000 census.
On April 26, 2004, Quinn announced he would not seek re-election. After leaving Congress, Quinn reported that he had a 70% approval rating while in his position.
Selected electoral history
thumb|Jack Quinn (Standing on Main Stage, Rear, Second from Right) at 1996 Dole-Kemp Rally at the University at Buffalo, NY
Quinn's electoral history record has been tracked at Our Campaigns, and portions of it are also presented here. where he served as chairman of the Railroads Subcommittee. On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Quinn was a member of the Transportation Subcommittees on Aviation, Surface Transportation, Mass Transit, and Water and Environment. His political views placed him as a centrist between Democrats and Republicans on most issues on which he voted in Congress in 2004. Much later in his congressional career, his voting record was typically in the middle, During his first year, while there were issues that he voted in favor of, there were also those that he voted against, including a $16 million community development stimulus package for Buffalo. energy and the environment, gay marriage, healthcare, homeland security, immigration, social security, stem cell research, taxes, the economy, the second amendment (the right to keep and bear arms), and both the War in Afghanistan and the War in Iraq.
Regarding abortion, Quinn has stated that he is opposed to allowing women to have them. In 1994, Democrat Ellen T. Kennedy criticized Quinn for voting against a bill that would make it a crime to block abortion clinic access. though as a Republican, he appeared to garner more Republican support in Congress than a Democrat would have. working to maintain its prominence in the country's infrastructure, and improve the safety of passengers.