Fred Thiele

Last updated
Fred Thiele
Fred Thiele.jpg
Thiele in 2009
Member of the New York State Assembly
In office
February 15, 1995 December 31, 2024

Thiele began his political career as counsel to former Assemblyman John L. Behan, a position in which he served until 1982. [2] Subsequent to his service as a legislative assistant he became Southampton Town Attorney and East Hampton Town Planning Board Attorney, from 1982 to 1987 and 1982 to 1986 respectively.

In 1987, Thiele won a bid to represent the 16th District within the Suffolk County Legislature, a position he would hold for the subsequent four years. After serving in the Suffolk County Legislature he would go on to be elected as Southampton town supervisor, where he would serve until winning a 1995 special election to succeed his former boss in the State Assembly.

Although elected as a Republican, after being elected to the Suffolk County Legislature, he joined the chamber's nine Democrats to elect a Democrat as presiding officer.

New York Assembly

In 1995, Republican Governor George Pataki appointed Assemblyman John L. Behan as New York State Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs. Behan resigned from the New York Assembly, leaving a vacant seat in the 2nd District. Thiele ran for the seat and defeated Democratic nominee Leo Davis 69%–28% in the March 1995 special election. [3]

He won re-election to his first full term with 62% of the vote. [4] Between 1998 and 2006, he never won re-election with less than 59% of the vote. In 2008, he defeated Democratic nominee Michael Pitcher 62%–38%. [5] [6] He won re-election for the first time as a member of the Independence Party, defeating Republican nominee Richard A. Blumenthal 59%–41%. [7]

Thiele announced on October 1, 2009, that he was joining the Independence Party, saying the Republicans no longer stood for "pocketbook issues" and was given permission to caucus with the Democratic supermajority along with the other Independence Party assemblyman, Timothy P. Gordon [8] [9] Thiele, the only Independent in the Assembly, supports an open primary in New York State and supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic Primary. [10] Before his switch, Thiele had been ranking minority member on the Assembly Education Committee and vice chairman of the Assembly Minority Joint Conference Committee.

Thiele was a member of the Democratic Party during his time in college. In 2022, he left the Independence Party after it lost its automatic ballot line and joined the Democratic Party. [11]

He currently sits on the House Committee on Local Governments as Chair, House Committee on Future of the Long Island Power Authority, House Committee on Rules, House Committee on Environmental Conservation, House Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation, and House Committee on Transportation. [12]

In February 2024, Thiele announced that he would not seek re-election to the Assembly. [13] He was succeeded in the 2024 election by Democrat T. John Schiavoni. [14]

Personal life

Thiele is a native of Sag Harbor, New York, and graduated from Pierson Middle-High School in 1971. He graduated from Southampton College of Long Island University in 1976 with a B.A. summa cum laude in political science and history. Thiele received a Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School in 1979 and was admitted to the bar in New York in 1980.

Thiele resides in Sag Harbor. He has a daughter and two sons.

Electoral history

Fred Thiele electoral history
1989 Suffolk County Legislature district 16 election [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent) 16,225 74.31%
Democratic Roger E. Cullen5,60925.69%
Total votes21,834 100.00%
1991 Southhampton Supervisor election [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Fred Thiele 5,944 45.11%
Republican George S. Stavropoulos (incumbent)4,38433.27%
Democratic Ronald J. Moss2,26817.21%
Conservative John D. Eckart5824.42%
Total votes13,178 100.00%
1995 New York State Assembly district 2 special election [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele 5,758 68.92%
Democratic Leo P. Davis2,32627.84%
Right to LifeValerie A. Hegelan2713.24%
Total votes8,355 100.00%
1996 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent)23,93155.09%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)2,9606.81%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 26,891 61.90%
Democratic Melissa A. Walton13,42430.90%
Conservative Margaret А. Eckart1,9774.55%
Right to LifeMichael J. Bradley1,1492.64%
Total votes43,441 100.00%
1998 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent)19,20355.26%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,5924.58%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 20,795 59.85%
Democratic Melissa A. Walton10,40429.94%
Conservative Marie F. Mulcahy2,2706.53%
Right to LifeMarie F. Mulcahy1,2793.68%
TotalMarie F. Mulcahy3,54910.21%
Total votes34,748 100.00%
2000 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent) 28,948 60.17%
Democratic Kevin R. Mitchell15,81432.87%
Independence Kevin R. Mitchell7711.60%
TotalKevin R. Mitchell16,58534.48%
Conservative Marie F. Mulcahy1,8643.87%
Green Van Buren D. Howell7101.48%
Total votes48,107 100.00%
2002 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent)20,06659.29%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)2,6817.92%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)5671.68%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 23,314 68.89%
Democratic Kevin R. Mitchell8,62525.48%
Conservative Patricia A. Guarino1,1423.37%
Right to LifeRobert Colapinto7632.25%
Total votes33,844 100.00%
2004 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent)28,96352.66%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)3,2975.99%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,2552.28%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 33,515 60.93%
Democratic M. Treewolf West19,78935.98%
Conservative Patricia A. Guarino1,6993.09%
Total votes55,003 100.00%
2006 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent)16,75447.29%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)2,4536.92%
Conservative Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,7715.00%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 20,978 59.21%
Democratic M. Treewolf West13,55638.26%
Working Families M. Treewolf West8932.52%
TotalM. Treewolf West14,44940.79%
Total votes35,427 100.00%
2008 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Fred Thiele (incumbent)24,98747.33%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)3,0345.82%
Conservative Fred Thiele (incumbent)2,5764.94%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,7793.41%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 32,376 62.06%
Democratic William M. Pitcher19,79337.94%
Total votes52,169 100.00%
2010 New York State Assembly district 2 general election [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Fred Thiele (incumbent)18,58947.08%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)3,2088.13%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,6344.14%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 23,431 59.35%
Republican Richard A. Blumenthal12,85632.56%
Conservative Richard A. Blumenthal3,1808.05%
TotalRichard A. Blumenthal16,03640.62%
Write-in 140.04%
Total votes39,481 100.00%
2012 New York State Assembly district 1 general election [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Fred Thiele (incumbent)29,76177.43%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)4,22811.00%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)4,15610.81%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 38,145 99.25%
Write-in 2900.75%
Total votes38,435 100.00%
2014 New York State Assembly district 1 general election [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Fred Thiele (incumbent)16,21949.20%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)2,1626.56%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,5754.78%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 19,956 60.54%
Republican Heather C. Collins10,68432.41%
Conservative Brian J. DeSesa2,3137.02%
Write-in 110.03%
Total votes32,964 100.00%
2016 New York State Assembly district 1 general election [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Fred Thiele (incumbent)30,80354.26%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)2,2433.95%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,7723.12%
We The PeopleFred Thiele (incumbent)4280.75%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 35,426 62.40%
Republican Heather C. Collins21,28037.48%
Write-in 670.12%
Total votes56,773 100.00%
2018 New York State Assembly district 1 general election [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Fred Thiele (incumbent)29,16656.17%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,4932.88%
Working Families Fred Thiele (incumbent)8721.68%
Other PartiesFred Thiele (incumbent)4300.83%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 31,961 61.55%
Republican Patrick M. O'Connor17,81834.32%
Conservative Patrick M. O'Connor2,1354.11%
TotalPatrick M. O'Connor19,95338.43%
Write-in 90.02%
Total votes51,923 100.00%
2020 New York State Assembly district 1 general election [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Fred Thiele (incumbent)39,19556.12%
Independence Fred Thiele (incumbent)1,4942.14%
Total Fred Thiele (incumbent) 40,689 58.26%
Republican Heather C. Collins25,85037.01%
Conservative Heather C. Collins3,2834.70%
TotalHeather C. Collins29,18341.78%
Write-in 190.03%
Total votes69,841 100.00%

References

  1. "Elected Officials - Alliance Party". Alliance Party . Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  2. Chinese, Vera (October 10, 2008). "Thiele is seeking reelection on experience". The East Hampton Press.
  3. Effort to Preserve a Political Dynasty in East Harlem Fails by a Wide Margin Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine by David Firestone, in The New York Times on March 15, 1995
  4. "Our Campaigns - NY Assembly 02 Race - Nov 05, 1996". www.ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  5. "Our Campaigns - NY Assembly 02 Race - Nov 04, 2008". www.ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  6. Chinese, Vera (October 30, 2008). "Thiele defeats Pitcher; LaValle wins reelection". The Southampton Press.
  7. "Our Campaigns - NY Assembly 02 Race - Nov 02, 2010". www.ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  8. Brand, Rick. "Republican Thiele switching to Independence Party Archived 2012-10-07 at the Wayback Machine ". Newsday . October 2, 2009.
  9. Editorial Board (2016-10-16). "Fred Thiele to represent New York's 1st Assembly District". Newsday. Archived from the original on 2017-01-02. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
  10. "Independents Make Last-Ditch Effort to Vote in NY's Primary: Gothamist". Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  11. "Elizabeth Holtzman". The Suffolk Times. July 5, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022.
  12. "Fred W. Thiele, Jr. - Assembly District 1 |Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  13. Kotz, Stephen (February 12, 2024). "State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. Will Not Seek Reelection This Fall". 27east. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  14. "Tommy John Schiavoni Bests Stephen Kiely in 1st District Assembly Race". 27 East. 2024-11-05. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  15. "Suffolk County Legislature 16". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  16. "Southampton NY Supervisor". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  17. "1995 NY Assembly 02 Special". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  18. "1996 Nov 5 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  19. "1998 Nov 3 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  20. "2000 Nov 7 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  21. "2002 Nov 5 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  22. "2004 Nov 2 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  23. "2006 Nov 7 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  24. "2008 Nov 4 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  25. "2010 Nov 2 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 2". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  26. "2012 Nov 6 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 1". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  27. "2014 Nov 4 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 1". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  28. "2016 Nov 8 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 1". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  29. "2018 Nov 6 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 1". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  30. "2020 Nov 3 - General - Member of Assembly - State Assembly District 1". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
New York State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 2nd district

1995–2012
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 1st district

2013–2025
Incumbent