{{short description|American journalist and politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Rich Funke | image = File:(06-19-19) NY State Senator Rich Funke during Senate Session at the NY State Capitol, Albany NY (cropped).jpg | caption = Funke in 2019 | state_senate = New York State | district = 55th | term_start = January 1, 2015 | term_end = December 31, 2020 | predecessor = Ted O'Brien | successor = Samra Brouk | birth_place = Batavia, New York, U.S. | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|1|30}} | party = Republican | alma_mater = Adelphi University | occupation = Newsreader, journalist, anchorman | website = {{URL|https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/rich-funke|Official website}} }} '''Rich Funke''' (born January 30, 1949) is an American journalist and politician who represented the 55th district of the New York State Senate from 2015 until 2020.
Funke is a Republican who was elected in November 2014 when he defeated Democratic incumbent Ted O'Brien.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/11/04/rich-funke-ted-obrien-monroe-county-republicans-gop-senate-assembly/18508605/ |title=Rich Funke takes Ted O'Brien's Senate seat |work=Democrat & Chronicle |date=2014-11-05 |access-date=2016-05-16 }}</ref> Prior to his election, Funke had for almost 40 years been a news anchor and sports director for WHEC-TV, the NBC affiliate station in Rochester, New York.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/local/2014/01/13/rich-funke-former-news-anchor-considers-political-run/4457947/ |title=Rich Funke, former news anchor, considers political run |work=Democrat & Chronicle |date=2014-01-13 |access-date=2016-05-16 }}</ref>
==Media career== Funke is a former radio disk jockey, radio and television journalist and television sports reporter and news anchor in Rochester, NY. He began his career in broadcasting at WBTA in Batavia, New York. From there he worked as a news reader and reporter at WHAM in Rochester before moving in 1972 to WAXC a top 40 station as its news director. After WAXC he was brought on as a sports director at WHEC-TV in 1974. After a stint at WTVJ-TV in Miami, Florida from 1980 to 1981 he returned to Rochester and his previous position at WHEC-TV.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
In 2005, Funke became the primary anchor of the evening news at 5, 6, 7 and 11 p.m. at WHEC-TV before retiring in 2012 as one of the main faces of the station.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
==Political career== In March 2014, Funke announced his candidacy for the New York State Senate in Senate District 55 against incumbent Democrat Ted O'Brien.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/03/12/rich-funke-senate/6318391/|title=Rich Funke announces candidacy for Senate|work=Democrat & Chronicle|language=en|access-date=2019-02-06}}</ref> Funke defeated O'Brien, 54,874 votes to 38,624.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/11/04/rich-funke-ted-obrien-monroe-county-republicans-gop-senate-assembly/18508605/ |title=Funke takes O'Brien's Senate seat |work=Democrat & Chronicle |date=2014-11-04 |access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2014/general/2014NYSenate.pdf|title=NYS Board of Elections Senate Election Returns November 4, 2014|website=Elections.ny.gov|access-date=2020-01-22|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117001653/https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2014/general/2014NYSenate.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Funke ran for re-election unopposed in 2016. In 2018, however, he was a top Democratic target, ultimately defeating Democrat Jen Lunsford by a margin of 52%-48%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=858120|title=Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 55 Race - Nov 06, 2018|website=www.ourcampaigns.com|access-date=2019-02-06}}</ref>
In December 2019, Funke announced that he would not seek re-election the following year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/politics/2019/12/17/state-senator-rich-funke-will-not-run-in-2020 |title=State Senator Rich Funke Will Not Run in 2020 |publisher=Spectrumlocalnews.com |date=2019-12-17 |access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref>
==Awards and honors== Funke received the James H. Ellery Memorial Award for Television for his coverage of the Rochester Americans in 1977 and 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |title=JAMES H ELLERY MEMORIAL AWARD – AHL Hall of Fame |url=https://ahlhalloffame.com/james-h-ellery-memorial-award |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=ahlhalloffame.com}}</ref>
Funke was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame in December, 2012 shortly after his retirement.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2012 |url=https://halloffame.nysbroadcasters.org/2012 |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=NYSBA Hall Of Fame |language=en}}</ref>
On December 27, 2014, the Rochester Lancers of the Major Arena Soccer League inducted Funke into the Rochester Lancers Wall of Fame as one of Rochester's "soccer pioneers". Funke was the television play-by-play announcer for the original Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League.<ref name="rdac141211">{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=DiVeronica |newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle |location=Rochester, NY |publisher=Gannett |title=Sarachan, Funke, Durante, Short to be inducted to Lancers Wall of Fame |url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/direct-kicks/2014/12/11/sarachan-funke-durante-short-to-be-inducted-to-lancers-wall-of-fame/20247055/ |date=December 11, 2014 |access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Rich Funke}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ny-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Ted O'Brien}} {{s-ttl|title=New York State Senate, 55th District |years=January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2020}} {{s-aft|after=Samra Brouk}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Funke, Rich}} Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Republican Party New York (state) state senators Category:People from Batavia, New York Category:American television journalists Category:Adelphi University alumni Category:American male journalists Category:Journalists from New York (state) Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature
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