▁politician ▁from ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Life ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁in ▁Alb any , ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁a ▁fost er ▁home ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 3 ▁months ▁old , ▁and ▁later ▁stated ▁that ▁if ▁abort ion ▁had ▁been ▁legal ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁he ▁might ▁never ▁have ▁been ▁born . ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁Rav ena - C oe ym ans - S el k irk ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁Alb any ▁Military ▁Academy ▁and ▁graduated ▁M . B . A . ▁from ▁Bry ant ▁University . ▁ ▁Career ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army . ▁He ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁ins urance ▁business , ▁and ▁entered ▁politics ▁as ▁Republican . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁he ▁defeated ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁State ▁Senator ▁D . ▁Cl inton ▁Domin ick ▁III ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁primary . ▁ ▁Domin ick ▁had ▁voted ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁abort ion ▁law , ▁and ▁Sch erm er horn ▁was ▁a ▁conserv ative ▁anti - ab ort ion ist , ▁who ▁opposed ▁abort ion ▁in ▁all ▁circumstances . ▁Through out ▁his ▁career , ▁he ▁was ▁vocal ▁about ▁abort ion ▁and ▁ad option . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Senate ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁sitting ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 9 th , ▁ 1 8 0