Fiorello Henry La Guardia (born Fiorello Enrico La Guardia (December 11, 1882 – September 20, 1947) was Mayor of New York City for three terms from 1934 to 1945. A Republican, he was a popular mayor and a strong supporter of the New Deal, despite its Democratic origins. La Guardia led New York's recovery during the Great Depression and became a national figure, serving as President Franklin D. Roosevelt's director of civilian defense during the run-up to the United States' entry into World War II.