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Eliot Engel
Eliot Lance Engel (/ˈɛŋɡəl/; February 18, 1947 – April 10, 2026) was an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from New York from 1989 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented a district covering portions of the north Bronx and southern Westchester County.
Engel won his first congressional election in 1988, defeating Mario Biaggi in the Democratic primary. In 2019, following Democratic gains in the 2018 elections, Engel was named chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; he previously was its ranking member from 2013. In 2020, after 16 terms in office, Engel was defeated in the Democratic primary by middle school principal Jamaal Bowman.
Engel was born in the Bronx on February 18, 1947, the son of Sylvia (née Bleend) and Philip Engel, an ironworker. His grandparents, of Ukrainian Jewish background, were immigrants from the Russian Empire.
In 1969, Engel graduated from Lehman College of the City University of New York with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He received a master's in school counseling in 1973 from the same institution. In February 1987, he earned a Juris Doctor from New York Law School.
After working as a social studies teacher at IS 174 in The Bronx and guidance counselor in other schools, Engel entered politics. In 1977, Engel entered the special election for a seat in the New York State Assembly after the incumbent Democrat Alan Hochberg was forced to resign. He was the Liberal Party nominee in the special election, and on March 1, 1977, he won by 103 votes, defeating Democratic nominee Ted Weinstein and Republican nominee Arlene Siegel.
Engel was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1988, sitting in the 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, and 187th New York State Legislatures. He chaired the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, and the Subcommittee on the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program.[citation needed]
In 1988, Engel ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 19th congressional district. His state assembly district covered much of the congressional district's southeastern corner. He defeated ten-term Rep. Mario Biaggi in the Democratic primary with 48% of the vote; Biaggi had resigned his seat and did not campaign for office, though his name remained on the ballot. Biaggi had been charged by Rudy Giuliani with racketeering in the Wedtech scandal, and was eventually jailed. Biaggi was unopposed for the Republican nomination (he had run on both the Republican and Democratic lines since 1972[citation needed]). Engel won the general election with 56% of the vote.
In 1994, Engel defeated musician Willie Colón 62%-38%. In 2000, Engel defeated State Senator Larry Seabrook, who had the support of Bronx County Democratic Party Chairman Roberto Ramirez, 50%-41%.
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Eliot Engel
Eliot Lance Engel (/ˈɛŋɡəl/; February 18, 1947 – April 10, 2026) was an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from New York from 1989 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented a district covering portions of the north Bronx and southern Westchester County.
Engel won his first congressional election in 1988, defeating Mario Biaggi in the Democratic primary. In 2019, following Democratic gains in the 2018 elections, Engel was named chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; he previously was its ranking member from 2013. In 2020, after 16 terms in office, Engel was defeated in the Democratic primary by middle school principal Jamaal Bowman.
Engel was born in the Bronx on February 18, 1947, the son of Sylvia (née Bleend) and Philip Engel, an ironworker. His grandparents, of Ukrainian Jewish background, were immigrants from the Russian Empire.
In 1969, Engel graduated from Lehman College of the City University of New York with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He received a master's in school counseling in 1973 from the same institution. In February 1987, he earned a Juris Doctor from New York Law School.
After working as a social studies teacher at IS 174 in The Bronx and guidance counselor in other schools, Engel entered politics. In 1977, Engel entered the special election for a seat in the New York State Assembly after the incumbent Democrat Alan Hochberg was forced to resign. He was the Liberal Party nominee in the special election, and on March 1, 1977, he won by 103 votes, defeating Democratic nominee Ted Weinstein and Republican nominee Arlene Siegel.
Engel was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1988, sitting in the 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, and 187th New York State Legislatures. He chaired the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, and the Subcommittee on the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program.[citation needed]
In 1988, Engel ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 19th congressional district. His state assembly district covered much of the congressional district's southeastern corner. He defeated ten-term Rep. Mario Biaggi in the Democratic primary with 48% of the vote; Biaggi had resigned his seat and did not campaign for office, though his name remained on the ballot. Biaggi had been charged by Rudy Giuliani with racketeering in the Wedtech scandal, and was eventually jailed. Biaggi was unopposed for the Republican nomination (he had run on both the Republican and Democratic lines since 1972[citation needed]). Engel won the general election with 56% of the vote.
In 1994, Engel defeated musician Willie Colón 62%-38%. In 2000, Engel defeated State Senator Larry Seabrook, who had the support of Bronx County Democratic Party Chairman Roberto Ramirez, 50%-41%.