Peter King: New York’s Representative for the 3rd Congressional District
Peter King is most well known for being the Republican representative for the 3rd Congressional district of New York in the United States House of representatives.
Peter King was born in New York, New York but was brought up in Sunnyside, Queens, New York. He attended St. Francis College, where he graduated from in 1965. He continued at the University of Notre Dame Law School where he received his Juris Doctor in 1968. After graduating from law school, he started to work for the District Attorney’s Office of Nassau Count. He also served in the New York National Guard in the 96th Infantry Regiment from 1968 to his honorable discharge six years later.
Peter King started his political career in 1977, when he ran for a seat in the Hempstead Town Council. He was supported by the Nassau County Republican Party and won the seat. Four years later, Peter King decided to run for the Nassau Country Comptroller, which he was chosen for and subsequently re-elected for two more terms.
In 1986, Peter King decided to run for New York State Attorney General, which was a long shot. He did not win the election. In the 1990’s, Peter King played an active role through the Muslim community within his district. He not only held book signings and gave speeches, but he also supported American intervention in Kosovo and Bosnia, which most Republican’s did not do.
Peter King assumed office as a representative in 1993 and since then has held the position. Since then he has held these political positions:
• Opposed closing Guantanamo bay detention camp
• Opposed the economic stimulus package of 2009
• Opposed the Lillie Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
• For the Wall Street Bailout
• Opponent of illegal immigration
• Supported congressional earmarks
• Supported the Iraq War
• Supported the Patriot Act
• Opposed the appeal for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
• Criticized WikiLeaks and felt it should be considered a terrorist organization
Peter King currently lives in Seaford, New York with Rosemary King, his wife, and has two adult children along with one grandson. He has two other siblings, Barbara and Kevin. He also writes and is an author of 3 novels that are inspired by his early years in Congress: Deliver Us From Evil, Terrible Beauty, and Vale of Tears.