Chris Jacobs | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 27th district | |
| Assumed office July 21, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Collins |
| Member of the New York State Senate from the 60th district | |
| In office January 1, 2017 – July 20, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Marc Panepinto |
| Succeeded by | Sean Ryan |
| 9th County Clerk of Erie County | |
| In office January 1, 2012 – January 1, 2017[1] | |
| Preceded by | Kathy Hochul |
| Succeeded by | Mickey Kearns |
| 62nd Secretary of State of New York | |
| In office April 19, 2006 – January 1, 2007 | |
| Governor | George Pataki |
| Preceded by | Randy Daniels |
| Succeeded by | Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Christopher Louis Jacobs November 28, 1966 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Martina Jacobs[2] |
| Relatives | Jeremy Jacobs (uncle) Jerry Jacobs Jr. (cousin) Charlie Jacobs (cousin) |
| Education | Boston College (BA) American University (MA) University at Buffalo (JD) |
| Website | House website |
Christopher Louis Jacobs (born November 28, 1966) is an American politician representing New York's 27th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Jacobs served as the 62nd secretary of state of New York from April 2006 to January 2007. Beginning in 2012, he held the post of Erie County clerk, and he was a Republican member of the New York State Senate for the 60th district from 2017 to 2020. On June 23, 2020, he won a special election to fill a congressional vacancy in the 27th district. He was reelected to a full term in November 2020.
Jacobs was born in Buffalo, New York, as one of five siblings.[3] His family has long owned the Delaware North Companies and the Boston Bruins hockey team.[4] Jacobs earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College, a master's degree from American University and a Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School.[5]
Before holding elected office, Jacobs served as deputy commissioner of environment and planning in the administration of Erie County Executive Joel Giambra.[4] He also worked at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development under then-HUD Secretary Jack Kemp.[6]
Jacobs served on the Buffalo Public Schools board;[7] he was elected as an at-large member in 2004 and reelected in 2009.[8][better source needed]
Jacobs serves on the Boards of Buffalo Place and the Freedom Station Coalition and was previously a board member at the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy.[8]
On April 19, 2006, Governor George Pataki appointed Jacobs New York secretary of state.[9]
In 2011, Jacobs was elected Erie County clerk. He was reelected to the post in 2014.[8]
In February 2006, Jacobs was the Republican nominee in a special election for a State Senate seat representing Buffalo and Niagara Falls. He lost to Democratic nominee Marc Coppola.[10]
On November 8, 2016, Jacobs defeated Democratic nominee Amber Small for the 60th district seat. The district was formerly represented by Democrat Marc Panepinto.[11]
Jacobs was reelected in 2018.[12] He resigned on July 20, 2020, after being elected to Congress.[13] Democrat Sean Ryan was later elected to succeed him.
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Main article: 2020 New York's 27th congressional district special election |
In May 2019, Jacobs announced that he would run for New York's 27th congressional district in the 2020 elections. He initially planned to challenge incumbent Chris Collins in the Republican primary,[14][15] but Collins resigned in October 2019 and pleaded guilty to insider trading charges.[16]
Jacobs defeated Nate McMurray, 50.7%-45.6%,[17] in a special election on June 23, 2020 for the balance of Collins's term[18] and was sworn in as a member of Congress on July 21, 2020.[19]
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See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in New York § District 27 |
On the day of the special election, he also won a three-way Republican primary[20] for the general election on November 3,[21] in which he went on to win a full term by defeating McMurray a second time.[22]
In January 2021, Jacobs objected to the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results in Congress, basing his decision on what The New York Times called "spurious allegations of widespread voter fraud".[23] Jacobs's vote came shortly after the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.[24] On January 10, seven members of the New York State legislature signed an open letter calling on Jacobs to resign.[25]
On January 13, Jacobs voted against both articles of impeachment in the second impeachment of President Donald Trump.[26] On February 4, he joined 10 other Republican House members voting with all voting Democrats to strip Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of her House Education and Labor Committee, and House Budget Committee assignments in response to controversial political statements she had made.[27]
On May 19, 2021, Jacobs was one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish the January 6 commission meant to investigate the storming of the U.S. Capitol.[28]
