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Teresa R. Sayward (born 1944/1945) was a member of the New York State Assembly for Willsboro (the 113th district), first elected in 2002. She is a Republican.

Career

Sayward was a dairy farmer with her husband Ken for 16 years until 1988, when they sold their farm due it becoming unprofitable. She has also worked as a real estate agent, an antiques dealer and as an interior decorator. After leaving dairy farming she stood for election as the Republican candidate for town supervisor of Willsboro, winning on her second attempt in 1992.

Political history

Sayward served as town supervisor for the Town of Willsboro for 11 years and as chairwoman of the Essex County Board of Supervisors. She was awarded the title of "Outstanding Local Official" for 2002 by the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board.

Sayward was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2002, replacing Elizabeth Little (who ran for State Senate that year) in a six-way contest in which she won 52% of the vote. Sayward had narrowly beaten Thomas Scozzafava to the Republican nomination, and he stood against her as a Conservative candidate. Sayward spent $112,000 on the campaign. In 2006 she became the secretary of the Assembly Republican Conference.

She ran unopposed, as a Republican with the endorsement of the Independence Party of New York, in the November 2008 and November 2010 general elections. Sayward retired from the Assembly at the end of 2012.

In 2012, she supported Democratic President Barack Obama for re-election.

Positions

Sayward favored lowering health care costs, workers' compensation costs, and local property taxes. She argued for extensive state budget cuts. She supported Governor David Paterson's 2009 proposal to legalize same-sex marriage in New York and gave an emotional speech in the State Assembly that helped pass a bill for legalization. Her elder son Glenn is gay, and she views gay marriage as a civil rights issue; she received significant campaign donations from out of state as a result of her position, but lost the endorsement of the Conservative Party of New York State. She campaigned nationally for gay rights and became involved with the Log Cabin Republicans. She supported her friend Dede Scozzafava's 2009 campaign for Congress. She is a member of the National Rifle Association.

Family

Sayward and her husband Kenneth have four children: Glenn (b. 1961), Yvonne (b. 1963/1964), Kyle (1969—2007), and Wendy (b. 1972/1973).

References

1. ^ "Assembly Hopefuls". The Post-Star. Glens Falls, NY. June 26, 2002. Retrieved November 23, 2010. Teresa Sayward, Age: 57
2. ^ "Assembly Election Returns: November 4, 2008" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 2008.
3. ^ "Assembly Election Returns: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2013. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
4. ^ Durr, Eric (December 28, 2003). "Teresa Sayward brings small business attitude to state Legislature". The Business Review. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
5. Kosmider, Bethany (January 1, 2003). "Sayward credits strong supporting staff". Press Republican. Plattsburgh, NY.
6. ^ Halperin, Sue M. (June 11, 1988). "At 35/ an Hour, How're Ya Gonna Keep'em Down on the Dairy Farm?". The New York Times. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
7. Thompson, Maury (August 2, 2002). "Government panel honors Sayward". The Post-Star. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
8. "Results for New York State Assembly". The New York Times. 2002. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
9. "Kusnierz, former candidate for Assembly, endorses opponent Teresa Sayward". The Post-Star. October 18, 2002. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
10. "New York Assembly – 113th District (vote for one)". The Post-Star. November 3, 2002. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
11. Thompson, Maury (July 28, 2003). "Sayward revisits $30K debt". The Post-Star. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
12. "Sayward named to GOP Conference post". Press-Republican. Plattsburgh, NY. December 29, 2006.
13. Meixner, Cristine (October 27, 2010). "Ballot time is at hand". Hamilton County Express. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
14. McKinstry, Lohr (January 13, 2013). "Teresa Sayward reflects on Assembly career". Press-Republican. Plattsburgh, NY. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
15. "New York Republican Lawmaker: GOP 'Would Take Women Back Decades'". ThinkProgress. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012.
16. "Sayward says lawmakers missed plenty of "fat" in their budget". North Country Public Radio. August 9, 2010. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
17. ^ "Paterson Announces Gay Marriage Legislation". WPTZ. April 16, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
18. Grynbaum, Michael M. (June 21, 2007). "Gay Marriage, a Touchy Issue, Touches Legislators' Emotions". The New York Times. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
19. ^ "Assemblywoman Sayward: conservative Republican, unlikely gay rights activist". North Country Public Radio. December 4, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
20. Gershman, Jacob (August 7, 2008). "Assembly's Gay Rites Backers Reap Benefits". New York Sun. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
21. ^ Thompson, Maury (July 23, 2007). "Politics of the heart". The Post-Star. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
22. Confessore, Nicholas (May 12, 2008). "Constituents Back a Tough Stand". The New York Times. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
23. Thompson, Maury (November 2, 2009). "Sayward torn over vote in 23rd District". The Post-Star. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
24. Ertelt, Paul (December 22, 2005). "Life, not death, for cop killers". Press-Republican. Plattsburgh, NY.
25. "Legislator's son dies in accident". Press-Republican. Plattsburgh, NY. January 29, 2007.

External links

• Assemblywoman Sayward's Official Campaign Site

• 1940s births
• Living people
• American LGBTQ rights activists
• Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly
• People from Willsboro, New York
• Women state legislators in New York (state)
• Activists from New York (state)
• 21st-century American women politicians
• 21st-century members of the New York State Legislature