Serphin R. Maltese (born December 7, 1932) is a former Republican New York State Senator representing New York's 15th State Senate District, located in southern and central Queens. From 1986 to 1988, he was the chairman of the Conservative Party of New York.
Born and reared in the once heavily Italian-American neighborhood of Corona in Queens, New York. In 1951, Maltese graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Manhattan College and a JD and LLB from the Fordham University Law School in New York City.
In 1984, Maltese ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from Central Queens. The seat was being vacated by Geraldine Ferraro who was chosen to run for Vice President on the Democratic ticket with Walter Mondale. Maltese faced Democrat Thomas Manton and lost narrowly; 53-47 percent. Maltese's loss was attributed to the presence of Ferraro on the national ticket, as the district had a former history of leaning Republican.
Maltese was first elected to the New York State Senate in November 1988, and was reelected nine times to two-year terms, often by comfortable margins in a normally strongly Democratic district. However, in 2006, he was nearly defeated, narrowly winning against Albert Baldeo, a relatively unknown Democrat, 51%-49% (a 783 vote margin). In 2008, Maltese was heavily defeated by City Councilman Joseph Addabbo, Jr., garnering only 42% of the vote as the Democrats took control of the State Senate.
Maltese serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Christ The King Regional High School, an independent Catholic high school in Middle Village, Queens.[1]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by No Candidates Prior to 1965 |
Conservative Party of New York nominee for New York State Senate, 13th District 1965 |
Succeeded by James G. McGinley |
| Preceded by Rosemary Gunning-Moffett |
Conservative Party of New York nominee for New York State Assembly, 37th District 1976 |
Succeeded by Rosemary Gunning-Moffett |
| Preceded by John J. Weigandt |
Republican nominee for New York's 9th congressional district 1984 |
Succeeded by Salvatore Calise |
| Preceded by J. Daniel Mahoney |
Chairman of the Conservative Party of New York April 1986 – December 1988 |
Succeeded by Michael R. Long |
| New York State Senate | ||
| Preceded by Martin Knorr |
New York State Senate, 15th District 1989–2008 |
Succeeded by Joseph Addabbo, Jr. |