Ed Koch was an American politician, lawyer, and mayor memoirist who served as the 105th Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. He was a lifelong Democrat who first won election to the New York City Council in 1967 and then won election as Mayor in 1977. During his three terms in office, Koch oversaw the city's fiscal crisis, initiated major infrastructure projects, and championed civil rights and gay rights causes. He was known for his outspoken personality and catchphrase 'How'm I doin'?' His memoirs, entitled 'Mayor, ' were published in 1984.