Keith Wofford
{{Short description|American attorney}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Keith Wofford
|image =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|1|25}}
|birth_place = Buffalo, New York, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = Marla Wofford
|children = 2
|education = Harvard University (BA, JD)
}}
Keith H. Wofford (born January 25, 1969) is an American attorney. He was a candidate in the 2018 New York Attorney General Election, running on the Republican and Conservative ballot lines. Wofford was the first African-American Republican nominee for the office of attorney general. He earned 35.2% of the vote, losing to then-New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, who received 62.4% of the vote.
Early life and education
Wofford grew up in the Buffalo, New York area as one of two sons. His father, John, worked at a Chevrolet plant, and his mother, Ruby, worked two retail jobs.{{Cite web|last=Abreu|first=Annie|title=Running for Attorney General, Wofford Promises to Step Up Fighting Corruption, Step Back Fighting Wall Street|url=https://www.gothamgazette.com/state/8037-running-for-attorney-general-wofford-promises-to-step-up-fighting-corruption-step-back-fighting-wall-street|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Gotham Gazette|language=en-gb}} At 17, he attended Harvard University on a scholarship and graduated from Harvard Law School.{{Cite web|title=New-York Historical Society {{!}} KEITH H. WOFFORD ELECTED TO NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF TRUSTEES|url=https://www.nyhistory.org/press/releases/keith-h-wofford-elected-new-york-historical-society-board-trustees|access-date=2021-08-18|website=www.nyhistory.org}}{{Cite news|last=Mays|first=Jeffery C.|date=2018-10-12|title=Can a Black Republican Who Voted for Trump Be New York's Next Attorney General?|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/12/nyregion/keith-wofford-attorney-general-ny.html|access-date=2021-08-18|issn=0362-4331}}
Career
For many years, Wofford served as a corporate bankruptcy lawyer for the firm Ropes & Gray.{{Cite web|last=Debtwire|title=From Inside Man To 'Outsider': How One Restructuring Attorney Aims To Nab New York's Top Cop Post|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/debtwire/2018/10/30/from-inside-man-to-outsider-how-one-restructuring-attorney-aims-to-nab-new-yorks-top-cop-post/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Forbes|language=en}}
On May 22, 2018, Wofford announced that he would be seeking the Republican nomination for Attorney General of New York in 2018. He stated that addressing political corruption in state government was his top priority.{{Cite web|last=robert.harding@lee.net|first=Robert Harding|title=Keith Wofford, NYC lawyer and Buffalo native, eyes GOP nod for attorney general|url=https://auburnpub.com/blogs/eye_on_ny/keith-wofford-nyc-lawyer-and-buffalo-native-eyes-gop-nod-for-attorney-general/article_118b6f9a-5de4-11e8-b263-639ed0f568d1.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Auburn Citizen|date=23 May 2018 |language=en}} Wofford was the first African-American Republican nominee for attorney general, and was considered an underdog.{{Cite news|last=Avila|first=Joseph De|date=2018-05-24|title=New York Republicans Nominate Keith Wofford for State Attorney General|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-republicans-nominate-keith-wofford-for-state-attorney-general-1527178955|access-date=2021-08-18|issn=0099-9660}} He campaigned on his outsider status.{{Cite web|last=KENMORE|first=ABRAHAM|title=Attorney general hopeful pitches plan|url=https://www.nny360.com/news/attorney-general-hopeful-pitches-plan/article_839938f2-09d0-52ca-af8f-d2535730757b.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=NNY360|date=10 September 2018 |language=en}} Leading up to the election, Letitia James was heavily favored to win.{{Cite web|last1=Gormley|first1=James|last2=editor|first2=Gazette|title=By the numbers: James Leads Wofford 50-36 percent in race for attorney general – The Legislative Gazette|date=5 October 2018 |url=https://legislativegazette.com/james-leads-wofford-50-36-percent-in-race-for-attorney-general/|access-date=2021-08-18|language=en-US}} Wofford was endorsed by U.S. Representative Pete King, The Buffalo News, The Citizen, The Daily Gazette, Jewish Voice, New York Post, The Post Star, and Watertown Daily Times.{{Cite web|last=Board|first=News Editorial|title=Editorial: Wofford for attorney general|url=https://buffalonews.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-wofford-for-attorney-general/article_ea9deea7-e55a-5e50-b1b9-989bb77f201b.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=The Buffalo News|date=28 October 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Board|first=The Citizen Editorial|title=Our view: New Yorkers can trust DiNapoli, Wofford, Gillibrand|url=https://auburnpub.com/opinion/editorial/our-view-new-yorkers-can-trust-dinapoli-wofford-gillibrand/article_ab9e491d-63c7-53bb-8e63-e59bf183e074.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Auburn Citizen|date=3 November 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Gazette Endorsement: Wofford will be a force as AG {{!}} The Daily Gazette|url=https://dailygazette.com/2018/10/27/gazette-endorsement-wofford-will-be-a-force-as-ag/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=dailygazette.com|date=27 October 2018 }}{{Cite web|title="A Voter Guide to the Midterm Elections – Endorsements from the Jewish Voice"|url=http://thejewishvoice.com/2018/10/24/voter-guide-midterm-elections-endorsements-jewish-voice/|url-status=dead|access-date=2021-08-18|archive-date=2018-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027021742/http://thejewishvoice.com/2018/10/24/voter-guide-midterm-elections-endorsements-jewish-voice/}}{{Cite web|last=Board|first=Post Editorial|date=2018-10-30|title=New York should elect Wofford to tackle corruption|url=https://nypost.com/2018/10/29/new-york-should-elect-wofford-to-tackle-corruption/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=New York Post|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Endorsement: Keith Wofford is the best choice for attorney general|url=https://poststar.com/opinion/editorial/endorsement-keith-wofford-is-the-best-choice-for-attorney-general/article_92f6c371-1c32-5fdd-8561-958d45f82170.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Glens Falls Post-Star|date=3 November 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Other statewide races|url=https://www.nny360.com/opinion/other-statewide-races/article_7bdbedda-0c4c-5c4b-af3a-a96af9efbfb9.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=NNY360|date=3 November 2018 |language=en}}
Wofford received 2,108,600 votes, finishing behind James, who earned 3,739,239 votes, and ahead of candidates from the Green, Libertarian, and Reform parties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2018/general/2018AttorneyGeneral.pdf|title=Certified Results from the November 6, 2018 General Election for Attorney General|accessdate=6 May 2024}}
On October 13, 2020, Wofford was elected to the board of trustees for the New-York Historical Society.
In late 2020, Wofford was hired by the law firm White & Case.{{Cite web|title=White & Case Restructuring Team Grows With Ropes & Gray Duo (1)|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/white-cases-restructuring-bench-deepens-with-ropes-gray-duo|access-date=2021-08-18|website=news.bloomberglaw.com|language=en}}
Personal life
Electoral history
{{Election box begin|title=New York Attorney General election, 2018[https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2018/general/2018Comptroller.pdf 2018 Comptroller election] New York State Board of Elections {{dead link|date=May 2024}}}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Letitia James|votes=3,497,213|percentage=58.38%|change=+12.89%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Working Families Party|candidate=Letitia James|votes=152,350|percentage=2.54%|change=-1.79%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independence Party of New York|candidate=Letitia James|votes=89,676|percentage=1.50%|change=-1.33%}}
{{Election box candidate|candidate=Letitia James|party=Total|votes=3,739,239|percentage=62.42%|change=+9.77%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Keith Wofford|votes=1,851,510|percentage=30.91%|change=-1.68%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Conservative Party of New York State|candidate=Keith Wofford|votes=257,090|percentage=4.29%|change=-2.31%}}
{{Election box candidate|candidate=Keith Wofford|party=Total|votes=2,108,600|percentage=35.20%|change=-4.24%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Green Party of New York|candidate=Michael Sussman|votes=72,512|percentage=1.21%|change=-0.85%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party of New York|candidate=Christopher Garvey|votes=43,767|percentage=0.73%|change=+0.10%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Reform Party of New York State|candidate=Nancy Sliwa|votes=26,441|percentage=0.44%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box total|votes=5,990,559|percentage=100.0%|change=N/A}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=John P. Cahill}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Attorney General of New York|years=2018}}
{{s-aft|after=Michael Henry}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wofford, Keith}}
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:Harvard College alumni
Category:Harvard Law School alumni