Mary Anne Krupsak, ’62, 1932-2024

Mary Anne Krupsak, Trailblazing New York Politician, Dies at 92

Mary Anne Krupsak, a Democrat who defied her party’s leadership in becoming the first woman to be elected lieutenant governor of New York State, and who then became so disenchanted with her boss, Hugh L. Carey, that she challenged him for the governorship, died on Saturday at her home on Seneca Lake in Geneva, N.Y. She was 92.

Her death was confirmed by her close friend Susan Cohen.

Hailing from upstate New York, Ms. Krupsak, who initially aspired to be a singer, served in the State Assembly for two terms, from 1969 to 1973, and then graduated to the State Senate before seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor as a long-shot candidate in 1974.

She went on to defeat Mario M. Cuomo in the primary, to the chagrin of Mr. Carey and the Democratic State Committee. Both had supported Mr. Cuomo, a high-profile Queens lawyer making his first run for elective office.

Campaigning on the slogan “She’s not just one of the boys,” Ms. Krupsak polled 390,123 votes to Mr. Cuomo’s 284,821 and 218,583 for Assemblyman Antonio G. Olivieri of Manhattan.

She then joined a ticket with Mr. Carey, a congressman from Brooklyn in his first race for governor, in the general election. (The governor and his or her running mate are nominated separately in New York but run together in November.)

Read more at The New York Times