Quick Facts
Biography
Peter Koo (born January 12, 1952) is an American politician, the Council member for the 20th District of the New York City Council. He is a Democrat. The district includes portions of Bayside, College Point, Flushing, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Fresh Meadows and Whitestone in Queens.
Koo and Manhattan Council member Margaret Chin comprise the Asian-American delegation of the Council.
Life and career
Koo is a Chinese American born in Shanghai, China, in 1952. Prior to immigrating to the United States in 1971, he lived in Hong Kong. Graduating from the New Mexico College of Pharmacy in 1975 where he paid his way through by working minimum wage jobs at Kentucky Fried Chicken and Dunkin Donuts, Koo is a pharmacist who developed a five-store chain of pharmacies called Starside Drugs Pharmacy.
He has been a member of Queens Community Board 7. Previously, he unsuccessfully challenged local state senator Toby Ann Stavisky in 2008. He has been called the “Mayor” of Flushing.
In January 2012, Koo changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democratic.
New York City Council
Koo was elected to the city council seat on 3 November 2009, defeating Democratic Party nominee Yen Chou, Working Families Party nominee S.J. Jung, and Green Party nominee Evergreen Chou. He assumed the position that was held by John Liu, the New York City Comptroller.
| Election history | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Year | Election | Results |
| NY Senate District 16 | 2008 | General | √ Toby Ann Stavisky (D) 69.44% Peter Koo (R) 30.56% |
| NYC Council District 20 | 2009 | General | √ Peter Koo (R) 49.05% Yen S. Chou (D) 45.24% S.J. Jung (Working Families) 4.06% Evergreen Chou (Green) 1.64% |
| NYC Council District 20 | 2013 | General | √ Peter Koo (D) 79.67% Martha Flores-Vazqeuz (Jobs & Education) 10.38% Sunny Hahn (Reform) 6.40% Evergreen Chou (Green) 3.38% |
Personal life
Peter has been married for 26 years and has two children, a boy and a girl.