Malcolm Wilson (26 February 1914-13 March 2000) was Governor of New York (R) from 18 December 1973 to 31 December 1974, succeeding Nelson Rockefeller and preceding Hugh Carey; he had previously served as Lieutenant Governor from 1 January 1959 to 18 December 1973, succeeding George DeLuca and preceding Warren M. Anderson.
Biography[]
Malcolm Wilson was born in New York City, New York on 26 February 1914, and his family moved to Yonkers. He graduated from the Fordham University School of Law in 1936, and he joined a White Plains law firm. From 1935 to 1958, he served in the New York State Assembly as a Republican Party member, and he supported Nelson Rockefeller's liberal republicanism, apart from his liberal views on abortion. From 1959 to 1973, he served as Lieutenant Governor under Rockefeller, and he supported fiscal conservatism and social liberalism. From 1973 to 1974, he served as Governor of New York after Rockefeller was appointed to a government position, but he lost re-election to Democratic Party challenger to Hugh Carey in 1974, losing with only 42% of the vote. Wilson returned to his legal career, and he died in New Rochelle in 2000 at the age of 86.