Edward Irving Koch

Koch, Edward Irving (1924– ), U.S. Democratic representative from New York (1969–77), and mayor of New York City (1977–89). He steered the city through a severe fiscal crisis by cutting city expenditures, while trying to maintain essential services. As a popular, hard-working mayor, Koch won both the Democratic and Republican party nominations for reelection in 1981. Koch's third term in office was marked by political scandal within his administration and racial unrest in the city of New York. These events contributed to Koch's failure to gain his party's candidacy to run for a fourth term of office.