John H. Dorsey (December 26,1937 —December 16,2018) was an American attorney and Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature from 1976 to 1994,serving in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1976 to 1978 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 to 1994. Dorsey represented the 23rd Legislative District until 1982 and the 25th Legislative District starting that year in redistricting following the 1980 United States census.
Dorsey was born on December 26,1937,in Newark and resided in Boonton Township. He served in the General Assembly for one term and subsequently ran for the state senate in 1977. In the 1977 election,Dorsey faced incumbent Democrat Stephen B. Wiley,who had been one of the prime sponsors of the Public School Education Act of 1975,which expanded state aid to public school districts. Dorsey had served in the Assembly on the Taxation Committee and was an opponent of the state income tax bill that Wiley had supported. Wiley's support of the income tax was one of Dorsey's key campaign issues. [1] Dorsey went on to win the Senate seat bya 43.3%-45.7% margin.
After the 1991 elections,with the Republicans taking control of the Senate,Dorsey had hoped to step up from being minority leader but was defeated by Donald DiFrancesco for the post of majority leader. [2] Both DiFrancesco and Dorsey had actively lobbied candidates running for office,making contributions and offers of committee chairmanships to individuals who might provide support in the race for majority leader. [3]
Dorsey made efforts in 1993 to block Governor of New Jersey James Florio's reappointment of Judge Marianne Espinosa Murphy of the Family Court. Dorsey invoked "senatorial courtesy",an unwritten rule under which Senators from a gubernatorial appointee's home county can block consideration of a candidate from that county. [4] Dorsey indicated that he had received complaints about Judge Murphy that she "giggles and throws pencils on the desk during testimony",though she was viewed as a model judge by an advocacy group for custodial parents who said that she would actively enforce judgments against deadbeat parents and was endorsed by the New Jersey State Bar Association,which had had a longstanding objection to the use of senatorial courtesy. [4]
In the 1993 elections,Dorsey was originally being challenged in the Republican primary by political newcomer and attorney Chris Christie. However,Dorsey successfully challenged enough of Christie's petition signatures to have Christie removed from the ballot. [5] [6] In the general election,he was one of three Republican senators to lose their seats in the 1993 general election,falling to Democratic former Assemblymember Gordon MacInnes,whom he had defeated in 1975,by 607 votes. His loss was attributed to his use of senatorial courtesy to block Judge Murphy. Regardless of his departure from the senate,Dorsey has been viewed as a success in his political career and law career. [2]
He died on December 16,2018,in Pequannock Township,New Jersey at age 80. [7]
James Joseph Florio was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 49th governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994. He was previously the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district from 1975 to 1990 and served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1970 to 1975. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
Donald Thomas DiFrancesco is a retired American politician who served as the 51st governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002. He succeeded Christine Todd Whitman after her resignation to become Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. A member of the Republican Party,DiFrancesco previously was President of the New Jersey Senate from 1992 to 2002.
Jon M. Bramnick is an American Republican Party politician and comedian,who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2022,representing the 21st legislative district. He previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly,representing the 21st Legislative District from 2003 to 2022,where he was the Assembly Republican Leader from January 2012 to January 2022. He was appointed to the Assembly in 2003 to fill the unexpired term of the vacancy created upon the selection of Thomas Kean Jr. to fill an unexpired New Jersey Senate term. He was elected to a full two-year term later that year and was re-elected in 2005,2007,2009,2011,2013,2015,2017,and 2019. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 2021 and was re-elected in 2023. In January 2024,Bramnick announced he was running for Governor of New Jersey in 2025.
The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844,replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts,representing districts with an average population of 232,225. Each district has one senator and two members of the New Jersey General Assembly,the lower house of the legislature. Prior to the election in which they are chosen,senators must be a minimum of 30 years old and a resident of the state for four years to be eligible to serve in office.
Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr. is an American Republican Party politician and businessman from New Jersey. Kyrillos served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1992 to 2018,where he represented the 13th Legislative District,and in the General Assembly from 1988 to 1992.
Joseph Pennacchio is an American Republican Party politician,who has represented the 26th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate since January 8,2008. Pennacchio has served in the Senate as the Deputy Republican Leader since 2022. He served in the General Assembly from 2001 to 2008.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of New Jersey on November 3,2009. Primary elections were held on June 2. Most state positions were up in this election cycle,which includes all 80 seats in the New Jersey General Assembly,as well as Governor and Lieutenant Governor. In addition to the State Legislative elections,numerous county offices and freeholders in addition to municipal offices were up for election. There was one statewide ballot question. Some counties and municipalities may have had local ballot questions as well. Non-partisan local elections,some school board elections,and some fire district elections also happened throughout the year.
New Jersey's 4th legislative district is one of 40 in the state. As of the 2021 apportionment,the district covers the Camden County municipalities of Chesilhurst,Gloucester Township,Waterford,and Winslow Township;the Gloucester County municipalities of Franklin Township,Monroe Township,Newfield Borough,and Washington Township;and the Atlantic County municipalities of Buena and Buena Vista.
Ernest L. Oros was an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly,from 1992 to 1996,where he represented the 19th Legislative District,which covers portions of Middlesex County.
J. Randall "Randy" Corman is an American Republican Party politician who served a single term in the New Jersey Senate,from 1992 to 1994,where he represented the 19th Legislative District,which covers portions of Middlesex County.
New Jersey's 23rd legislative district is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature. The district includes the Hunterdon County municipalities of Alexandria Township,Bethlehem Township,Bloomsbury,Califon,Franklin Township,Glen Gardner,Hampton,Holland Township,Lebanon Township,Milford,Tewksbury Township and Union Township,the Somerset County municipalities of Bedminster Township,Bound Brook,Bridgewater Township,Manville,and Raritan.
Senatorial courtesy is an unwritten rule practiced in the Senate of the U.S. state of New Jersey under which a State Senator can indefinitely block consideration of a nomination by the Governor of New Jersey for a gubernatorial nominee from the Senator's home county,without being required to provide an explanation. While the practice is infrequently invoked,it has brought calls for legislation that would forbid its use.
Marianne Espinosa,formerly known as Marianne Espinosa Murphy,is a Judge of the Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court,and the subject of a political controversy in New Jersey in 1993. She is the ex-wife of Michael Murphy,a former county prosecutor and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey.
New Jersey's 25th legislative district is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature. The district includes the Morris County municipalities of Boonton Township,Butler,Dover Town,Harding,Jefferson,Kinnelon,Madison,Mendham Borough,Mendham Township,Mine Hill Township,Morris Township,Morristown,Mount Arlington,Randolph Township,Rockaway Borough,Rockaway Township,Victory Gardens,and Wharton;and the Passaic County municipality of West Milford.
The 1993 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 2,1993. Incumbent Democratic governor James Florio was narrowly defeated by Republican former Somerset County freeholder and 1990 U.S. Senate nominee Christine Todd Whitman. Primary elections were held on June 8,1993. In the Democratic primary,Governor Florio's only challenger,anti-tax activist John Budzash,was disqualified from the ballot due to invalid petition signatures. In the Republican primary,Whitman defeated W. Cary Edwards and James Wallwork.
The 1989 New Jersey gubernatorial election was held on November 7,1989. Incumbent Republican Governor Thomas Kean was term-limited after two consecutive terms. Democrat James Florio,a U.S. Representative from Camden County and a twice-unsuccessful candidate for Governor,defeated Republican U.S. Representative Jim Courter by the lopsided margin of 61.2%-37.2%.
John A. Villapiano is an American former professional football player who played in the World Football League and a Democratic Party politician who served on the Monmouth County,New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey General Assembly from 1988 to 1992.
Lee B. Laskin was an American attorney,politician and judge who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature before being appointed to serve on the New Jersey Superior Court.
The 1991 New Jersey State Senate elections were held on November 5. The election took place mid-way through the term of Governor James Florio. The results were a landslide victory for the Republican Party amidst a tax revolt by New Jersey voters. Democrats picked up only one seat,that of Senator Lee B. Laskin. Republicans picked up eleven Democrat seats,winning control of the Senate for the first time since 1974. This was the first election after the 1990 census.
The 1993 New Jersey State Senate elections were held on November 2.