Rob Astorino

ROB ASTORINO

REPUBLICAN

BACKGROUND: Astorino, 55, of South Salem, was the Westchester County executive from 2010 to 2017. He also was a county legislator for a term. In 2014. He was the Republican nominee for governor, but lost to Democratic Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Astorino lost a bid to return to the county executive’s job in 2017 and also lost a 2020 campaign for State Senate. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications with minors in Spanish and political science from Fordham University. He is a broadcaster who has worked on ESPN Radio, WEPN, the MSG television network, CNN and was station manager of The Catholic Channel on Sirius Satellite Radio.

ISSUES: Astorino says he has shown he can work with Democrats after serving as county executive with a county legislature led by Democrats. Through his years in Westchester County, he didn’t increase county taxes and he said he would do the same in Albany. He said his management experience separates him from Gov. Kathy Hochul and his Republican primary opponents. Astorino said Hochul demonstrated a lack of sound judgment by appointing state Sen. Brian Benjamin as her lieutenant governor, only to have him resign months later after he was accused of corruption. Astorino said Hochul as lieutenant governor failed to combat corruption in Albany and failed to opposed Cuomo over his handling of ethics enforcement and nursing home deaths because of COVID-19. Astorino opposes the Democrats’ bail law, which he said has freed some dangerous suspects.