For the basketball coach, see Matthew Driscoll (basketball).
| Matthew Driscoll | |
|---|---|
| 52nd Mayor of Syracuse | |
| In office July 10, 2001 – December 31, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Roy Bernardi |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie Miner |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 7, 1958 Syracuse, New York, United States |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Patti Driscoll |
Matthew John "Matt" Driscoll (born February 7, 1958) is an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 52nd Mayor of Syracuse, New York from July 10, 2001 until December 31, 2009.
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Driscoll graduated in 1976 from West Genesee High School in Camillus, a suburb of Syracuse. He formerly owned "Rosie O'Grady's", a popular Irish pub in Syracuse. He became Syracuse's mayor on July 10, 2001 when former Republican Mayor Roy Bernardi was appointed as deputy secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development in President Bush's administration. As President of the City of Syracuse Common Council, Driscoll automatically succeeded Bernardi and served the remainder of Bernardi's mayoral term.
That fall Driscoll defeated several other Democrats in a primary, including Kate O'Connell. He went on to be elected after defeating former common councilor Bernie Mahoney by a thirty-two percent margin. In 2005 he defeated Mahoney's daughter, Joanie Mahoney, by a 3% margin. Driscoll won in part by claiming that Mahoney's race was funded by developer Robert Congel, a Bush-Cheney fundraiser who was overseeing the proposed expansion of the Carousel Center shopping mall. Driscoll campaigned alongside Eliot Spitzer, who had already begun his campaign to win New York's governorship in 2006; Spitzer's then-widespread popularity among New York Democrats likely helped Driscoll cement support from the majority-Democrat city. He won re-election, again by a slim 3% margin (49% to 46%)[1] Previously, he served as President of the Syracuse Common Council from 1998 to 2001, as Third District Councilor in 1995, and as Second District Councilor from 1987 to 1989.
On April 26, 2007, Driscoll announced that he would not seek the office of County Executive, which has been left open due to the retirement of longtime Republican incumbent Nicholas Pirro. Driscoll said he would serve out his term through to December 2009, which also would rule out a run for Congress against James T. Walsh in 2008.[2] Driscoll was mentioned as a possible candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York as a possible running-mate to incumbent Governor David Paterson in 2010.[3]
Driscoll is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition,[4] a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets". The Coalition is co-chaired by Mayors Thomas Menino and Michael Bloomberg.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Roy Bernardi |
Mayor of Syracuse, NY 2001–2009 |
Succeeded by Stephanie Miner |