Joe Borelli

Joseph Charles "Joe" Borelli (born July 27, 1982) is the Council member for the 51st District and Minority Whip of the New York City Council. He is a Republican. The district encompasses much of Staten Island's South Shore.

Joseph was born on Staten Island and adopted at birth by the Borelli Family. He attended Public School 4, Our Lady Star of the Sea Grammar School, and St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, from which he graduated in 2000. While there he was a founder and President of the Holy Name Society, and a star on the football team.

After graduating from Marist College he worked on the campaign of first-time candidate Vincent Ignizio, who was elected to the New York State Assembly from the South Shore-based 62nd District. Joe became Chief-of-Staff to the then Assemblyman and continued in that role when Ignizio was elected to the New York City Council in February 2007. He has also taught political science classes at the City University of New York since 2008.

Borelli was elected on November 6, 2012, to the State Assembly to succeed the retiring Louis Tobacco. He was one of only two Republicans in New York City's State Assembly delegation. In 2013, he earned the highest rating from the Conservative party for being the most conservative member of the legislature from New York City. He was also the only member of the legislature from the city to vote against the NY SAFE Act.. He served as the ranking member of the committee on Cities for three years.

On November 3, 2015, Borelli won election to replace fellow Republican Vincent Ignizio on the City Council. Ignizio left in July to work for a nonprofit. He was sworn into office on November 30, 2015, and was chosen to be the Council's Minority Whip.

In 2016, Borelli frequently appeared on national cable TV news shows where he supported Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee. Borelli also co-chaired Trump’s campaign during the 2016 New York Republican primary.