Head of Niagara Republican Party to return to law practice after losing bid for top state post
Wojtaszek to leave as Niagara County GOP chief
Henry F. Wojtaszek will resign next week as chairman of the Niagara County Republican Party to return to his private law practice and spend more time with his family.
“It’s time to get back out there and get back to work, and maybe coach my son’s basketball team,” Wojtaszek said Thursday.
Wojtaszek, 46, said he would return to work Monday at the law firm Harris Beach.
“We were expecting him back after the election,” said William Albert, spokesman for Harris Beach. Wojtaszek had taken a leave when he decided to run for state GOP chairman earlier this year.
“He told me about two months ago he was leaving as chairman because it was cutting into his day-to-day work,” said State Sen. George D. Maziarz of Newfane, the county’s top elected Republican.
Maziarz said Wojtaszek “indicated to me he wasn’t under any pressure from Harris Beach, or more importantly, from [his wife] Caroline.”
Wojtaszek has led the Niagara County GOP since 2000. He is leaving after a string of victories in Tuesday’s elections, including capturing most offices in North Tonawanda, winning almost all town supervisor posts and building a 14-to-5 Republican majority in the County Legislature.
The party, he said, “has never been stronger.”
“We recruited outstanding candidates at all levels for public office,” he said. “Our candidates offered voters ideas for improving our community and then delivered. For that, the voters have consistently given us their support.
“I am most proud of our work at the county level, where voters have elected a Republican majority for four straight elections,” he added. “That is proof that running a good government makes for good politics.”
Wojtaszek, a North Tonawanda native, said he expects the party will name former Elections Commissioner Michael Norris as chairman when it convenes next Thursday in the Wheatfield Community Center.
“Mike is an attorney, a great tactician and very smart,” he said.
“Henry and Mike worked that out between themselves,” Maziarz said. “Mike’s a good technician. Certainly a different style, but nobody knows the Election Law and the process better.”
Norris, 33, a City of Lockport attorney, never has held a county party office, but he is a state GOP committeeman for the 142nd Assembly District. He was Niagara County Republican elections commissioner from 1999 to 2002.
“I look forward to reaching out to the committeemen and the town and city chairmen and asking for their support,” Norris said. “I anticipate Henry will still play a role in politics, but it won’t be an active one.”
Maziarz said he expects Wojtaszek will remain on the party committee, and he said Norris is not an interim choice.
“I expect Mike is going to be around for a while. He’ll do a good job for us,” Maziarz said.
Wojtaszek leaves the party helm after a bruising and unsuccessful effort to become the new chairman of the state party, losing to Manhattan attorney Edward F. Cox in September. He received substantial support around the state, including from former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
But as Wojtaszek deferred to Joseph N. Mondello of Nassau County, who delayed his decision to step aside as state chairman, Cox gained overwhelming backing from county chairmen across the state.
Wojtaszek said his defeat has nothing to do with his decision to resign and everything to do with returning to the law firm he left two months ago to pursue the state chairmanship.
“The time has come to hand the reins off to someone else and pursue some other interests and career goals,” he said. “My work with the party takes up a lot of time and energy. My wife and three children have been more than patient with me.”
“There’s never a good time for one of these things, especially when we’ve done so well,” Maziarz said. “I admire the fact Henry doesn’t want to be the Joe Namath of the GOP. Joe Namath played one game too many.”
News Niagara Reporter Thomas J. Prohaska contributed to this report. rmccarthy@buffnews.com
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