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Meet the self-proclaimed 'billionaire heiress' who runs the Manhattan Republican Party, was formerly married to Richard Nixon's grandson, and whose signature outfit is a bikini
Meet the self-proclaimed 'billionaire heiress' who runs the Manhattan Republican Party, was formerly married to Richard Nixon's grandson, and whose signature outfit is a bikini
Taylor Nicole RogersJul 27, 2019, 19:22 IST
Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Catsimatidis is the daughter of John Catsimatidis, the owner of New York Citysupermarket chain Gristedes Foods. Her father has a net worth of $3.1 billion fortune, according to Forbes.
For Catsimatidis, the bikini is "an essential accessory to an artifice she has diligently perfected," New York Magazine's Olivia Nuzzi wrote.
In the bio on her Instagram profile, Andrea Catsimatidis lists seven phrases to describe herself, separated by emojis: "billionaire heiress," "business bombshell," "jetsetter," "NYC native," "Manhattan Republican Party Chair," "philanthropist," and "footballer."
Catsimatidis is the daughter of John Catsimatidis, the owner of New York City supermarket chain Gristedes Foods. John has a net worth of $3.1 billion fortune, according to Forbes.Andrea, a 29-year-old New York University graduate, works as an executive at her father's company when she is not leading Manhattan's Republican Party, New York Magazine reports.
In January 2019, Catsimatidis was widely criticized for her love of string bikinis after an appearance on CNN to discuss the government shutdown, she said in an interview with New York Magazine's Olivia Nuzzi.
Catsimatidis was raised on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, according to The New York Times. Political figures including the Clintons, Rudy Giuliani, and John Kerry regularly stopped by to discuss public policy with her father in their living room.
Catsimatidis, who goes by "A.J.," went on to earn an undergraduate degree in business from New York University, according to the Times.
Catsimatidis' father is New York City grocery titan John Catsimatidis.
John is the owner of Gristedes Foods, the largest supermarket chain in New York City, according to Forbes. John entered the grocery business as a part-time cashier while studying at New York University and he purchased his first grocery store in 1969, Forbes reports. He also owns an oil refinery and a radio station, according to Forbes.
John's net worth is $3.1 billion, Forbes estimates.
John has also demonstrated an interest in politics, launching an unsuccessful bid to become the mayor of New York City in 2013, according to Forbes.
When she was 21, Catsimatidis was briefly married to then 31-year-old Christopher Nixon Cox, a former John McCain staffer and grandson of Richard Nixon, according to New York Magazine.
"We had so many people to celebrate with us," Catsimatidis told New York Magazine about the 2011 wedding. "Hillary Clinton was at my wedding. We had Henry Kissinger, we had Rudy Giuliani, we had Chuck Schumer. It was a beautiful, bipartisan wedding — everyone had an amazing time."
"I looked up what it meant to be a Republican," Catsimatidis told New York Magazine, "and I saw that being a Republican stood for freedom and opportunity for all, and I was like, of course I'm a Republican!"
Before getting involved with the Manhattan Republican Party, Catsimatidis served as the president of the NYU College Republicans, according to New York Magazine.
Catsimatidis has served as the chair of the Manhattan Republican Party since 2017.
Catsimatidis' portion of the GOP breaks with the party's national committee on the issue of abortion, she told New York Magazine.
"My belief is, I'm pro-life, but at the same time, as Manhattan GOP chair, I'm doing my best to fulfill the role that represents our Manhattan Republican Party, and our Manhattan Republican Party is pro-choice, all of our candidates are pro-choice, all of our candidates are pro-gay marriage, all of our candidates are very socially liberal," Catsimatidis said in an interview with New York Magazine's Olivia Nuzzi. "So I feel like I'm acting in the interest of what our constituency is. That's what I'm going to do."
When she's not working with the GOP, Catsimatidis works for Gristedes Foods, according to New York Magazine.
For Catsimatidis, the bikini is "an essential accessory to an artifice she has diligently perfected," New York Magazine's Olivia Nuzzi wrote.
Catsimatidis' Instagram profile is filled with pictures of her in brightly colored string bikinis.
Catsimatidis received a lot of criticism over the photos after she appeared on CNN in January 2019 to discuss the government shutdown, according to New York Magazine.
"When people want to be mean, they'll just make fun of my appearance because that's the petty default that people have," Catsimatidis told New York Magazine. "They usually tend to complain about my feminine anatomy ... The Democrats started attacking my breasts, and the Republicans were defending them, and then I thought to myself, I didn't realize that my breasts were so partisan."
