Col. Herbert H. Lehman, prominent Jewish philanthropist and leader, who is serving his second term as Lieut.-Governor of New York, yesterday announced that he will be a candidate for the post of Governor of New York.
Col. Lehman has the support of both Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democratic candidate for President of the United States, and former Governor Alfred E. Smith.
Coming to the office of Lieutenant-Governor without having held any political post previously, Col. Lehman has achieved a wide reputation on his record. During his second election campaign, he rolled up more votes in New York City than did Gov. Roosevelt.
Should Col. Lehman be elected Governor, he will be the first Jew to hold the office in New York State.
Col. Lehman announced his candidacy in the following statement. “I have been asked by a great many friends and by the press whether I intend to run for Governor this Autumn. As it is impossible for me to reply personally to all those who have communicated with me, and in order to avoid any misunderstanding of my standing, I make this statement:
“I do intend to be a candidate for Governor this Autumn.
“I shall not open headquarters or engage in any pre-convention campaign at the present time. I prefer to stand on my record of the past three and one-half years as a public official.”
Col. Lehman is actively identified with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, of which he is a vice-president. He is also vice-president of the Palestine Economic Corporation, a member of the Council of the Jewish Agency, and is also affiliated with the American Ort, the Jewish Colonization Association, the American Jewish Joint Foundation in Europe, the Palestine Loan Bank, the Russian Agrojoint Committee, the Russian Agricultural Fund, the Baron de Hirsch Fund and Young Judaea.
Col. Lehman was honored in 1930 with the Zeta Beta Tau medal in recognition of his distinguished services to Jewry.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
