Elaine R. Phillips
Term startJanuary 1, 2022
Office15th Comptroller of Nassau County
PredecessorJack Schnirman
Term start 2January 1, 2017
Term end 2December 31, 2018
District 27th
Predecessor 2Jack Martins
Successor 2Anna Kaplan
State senate 2New York State
Office 3Mayor of Flower Hill
Term start 3January 1, 2012
Term end 3December 31, 2016
Predecessor 3Charles W. Weiss
Successor 3Robert McNamara
Birth dateDecember 3, 1959 (age 66)
PartyRepublican
SpouseAndy Phillips
Alma materPennsylvania State University
WebsiteOfficial website

Elaine Phillips (née Reidman) is an American politician who currently serves as Nassau County Comptroller, with a term beginning in January 2022. She was elected to the position in a landslide victory, defeating Democrat Ryan Cronin 61%-39% to succeed retiring incumbent Jack Schnirman.[1] Phillips previously represented the New York State Senate's 7th district, and had previously served as the 18th Mayor of Flower Hill, New York. She is a Republican. Phillips was elected to the Senate in 2016 but was defeated in her 2018 re-election bid.

Life and career

Phillips was born and raised in Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of John Reidman, a steel worker who died when she was 12, and Betty Reidman, who worked as a cook at a local American Legion post.[2] Phillips attended Penn State University, where she earned both her bachelor's degree in political science and an M.B.A. in finance. A former financial analyst, Phillips worked for large financial institutions for over 20 years, including MetLife and JP Morgan Securities. She later served as a vice president in Institutional Sales at Goldman Sachs.[3]

Phillips and her husband, Andy, are the parents of three daughters.[4]

Mayor of Flower Hill, New York (2012–2016)

Phillips served as the mayor of Flower Hill, New York from 2012 to 2016. During her tenure as Mayor, she cut taxes and stabilized the village's finances (which, under her predecessor's management, were criticized by the New York State Comptroller's Office).[5] Phillips also implemented an environmental policy to expand the number of trees in the village, an effort which led the Village to be named Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Committee.[6]

Phillips was the first female in Flower Hill's history to hold the position.[7]

New York State Senator (2017–2018)

In 2016, State Senator Jack Martins decided to run for Congress, foregoing re-election to the Senate to do so. Phillips announced that she would seek the open Senate seat and was supported by Martins.[8]

Phillips ran on a platform in 2016 which included cutting taxes, combating the heroin epidemic and strengthening state ethics laws in response to corruption scandals in Albany.[9] Phillips was unopposed for the Republican nomination. With the Seventh district being one of the most competitive districts in the state, the race was projected to be close. In the end, Phillips defeated Democrat Adam M. Haber by a 51% to 49% margin.[10][11] She was sworn in on January 1, 2017.[12]

In 2018, Phillips lost her re-election bid to Democrat Anna Kaplan, who won with 55% of the vote to 45% for Phillips.[13][14][15]

Nassau County Comptroller (since 2022)

In November 2021, Phillips was elected the first woman to serve as Nassau County Comptroller with 61 percent of the vote.

Election results

{| class="Wikitable"

| Elaine R. Phillips (REP - CON - IND – REF)|| ... || 69,438 |- | Adam M. Haber (DEM - WFP - WEP)|| ... || 66,029 |}

{| class="Wikitable"

| Elaine R. Phillips (REP - CON – || ... || 163,146 |- | Ryan E. Cronin (DEM - WFP -|| ... || 114,349 |}

References

  1. ^ Campanile, Carl (November 3, 2021). "Bail Reform backlash spurs Republican Election Day red wave in Long Island". New York Post
  2. ^ Pinchot, Joe (November 28, 2016). "Ex-local resident wins seat in New York Senate". The Herald (Sharon)
  3. ^ "Elaine Phillips kicks off State Senate campaign - Newsday". Archived July 1, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  4. ^ "About Elaine Phillips | NY State Senate". Archived from the original on 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  5. ^ Smirti, Steve (July 12, 2016). "Phillips Kicks Off Senate Campaign". Elmont Herald
  6. ^ Goldstein, Linda (May 13, 2015). "Meet Flower Hill's Mayor". Port Washington News
  7. ^ "Village of Flower Hill » Village History". villageflowerhill.org. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  8. ^ Roy, Yancey (May 18, 2016). "Nassau GOP set to back Phillips to replace Martins in State Senate". Newsday. Archived May 19, 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ Brodsky, Robert (June 30, 2016). "Elaine Phillips kicks off State Senate campaign". Newsday. Archived July 1, 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ "Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 07 Race - Nov 08, 2016". Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-09-21. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  12. ^ Johnson, Elizabeth (15 January 2017). "Senator Elaine Phillips Gets To Work - Manhasset Press". Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  13. ^ "Anna Kaplan". Ballotpedia
  14. ^ Clausen, Janelle (7 November 2018). "Kaplan trumps Phillips as Democrats seize state Senate - Election 2018"[dead link]
  15. ^ Johnson, Elizabeth (19 June 2016). "Elaine Phillips To Run For New York Senate - Port Washington News". Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  16. ^ "General Election Results, State Senate: November 8, 2016". New York State Board of Elections. December 22, 2016. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  17. ^ "General Election Results, County Comptroller: November 2,;2021". Nassau County Board of Elections. December 22, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2022.