Paul Brenan Duerr (born April 5, 2005) is an American author, historian, and politician from Hawthorne, New Jersey. [1] He is the author of six historical fiction books, and one non-fiction political science book. [2] A lifelong member of the Democratic Party, Duerr has been a political organizer/operative in Hawthorne, Passaic County, and the state of New Jersey.
A lifelong resident of Hawthorne, New Jersey, Duerr is a graduate of the Hawthorne Public Schools system. During his time in Hawthorne High School, Duerr wrote his first six books and received numerous accolades and praise by the local community as well as state-wide news outlets. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] He has also conducted several public presentations discussing various historical topics, along with hosting multiple book signings and attending several book festivals. His early work resulted in him capturing the attention of local school board member and Democratic state senate candidate Jennifer Ehrentraut, who offered him a position on her 2023 campaign in 40th Legislative District. [10] [11] His work on the LD-40 campaign resulted in several other campaign opportunities in Passaic County as well as for New Jersey Congressional and United States Senate campaigns, where Duerr completed two fellowships. Duerr is currently attending Rutgers University–New Brunswick where he is majoring in History and Political Science, with a minor in Archaeology.
During the 2023 campaign season, Duerr worked as the Outreach Director and Volunteer Coordinator on the Ehrentraut State Senate campaign. The ticket failed to unseat incumbent Kristin Corrado. [12]
During the 2024 primary campaign season, Duerr campaigned for the Passaic County Democratic Organization, supporting the ticket of Bill Pascrell Jr. for Congress, Thomas Adamo for Sheriff, Lazarra, De Vore, and Bartlett for County Commissioner. The official Passaic County Democratic Organization ticket successfully fended off significant democratic challengers. [13]
During the 2024 general campaign season, Duerr completed one Summer and one Fall fellowship for the campaign of Andy Kim for United States Senate. [14] He also continued his work on the Passaic County Democratic ticket. Following the August 21 death of Congressman Bill Pascrell, State Senator Nellie Pou from New Jersey's 35th legislative district was nominated by special convention to fill the congressman's place. All candidates on the 2024 Passaic County Democratic Organization ticket were victorious. [15]
In May of 2022 during his junior year of high school, Duerr was awarded the 1st Place Student Recognition Award for the seven northern counties of New Jersey by the New Jersey Council for the Social Studies (NJCSS). Duerr is also a recipient of the John Philip Sousa Band Award for his work in the school marching band and concert bands, where he conducted an original composition at the schools Spring concert his senior year.
For his work, Duerr has been interviewed by the local podcast 'The Towncast', hosted by Flavio Romeo. [9] He has also been interviewed by reporters from NorthJersey.com, [8] [7] [6] News12 New Jersey, Wayne Magazine, [5] The Clarion Newspaper (the student newspaper of Hawthorne High School), [16] Shoutout Atlanta Magazine, [3] and Bold Journey Magazine. [4]
Haledon is a borough in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 9,052, an increase of 734 (+8.8%) from the 2010 census count of 8,318, which in turn reflected an increase of 66 (+0.8%) from the 8,252 counted in the 2000 census.
Hawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 19,637, an increase of 846 (+4.5%) from the 2010 census count of 18,791, which in turn reflected an increase of 573 (+3.1%) from the 18,218 counted in the 2000 census.
North Haledon is a borough in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 8,927, an increase of 510 (+6.1%) from the 2010 census count of 8,417, which in turn reflected an increase of 497 (+6.3%) from the 7,920 counted in the 2000 census.
Prospect Park is a borough in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,372, an increase of 507 (+8.6%) from the 2010 census count of 5,865, which in turn reflected an increase of 86 (+1.5%) from the 5,779 counted in the 2000 census.
William James Pascrell Jr. was an American politician who was a U.S. representative from New Jersey from 1997 until his death in 2024. Pascrell was a member of the Democratic Party and a native of Paterson. Before his election to the House of Representatives, Pascrell served in the New Jersey General Assembly for four terms beginning in 1988 and was elected to two terms as mayor of Paterson.
Paul Anthony Sarlo is an Italian-American construction industry executive and Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2003, where he represents the 36th Legislative District. Sarlo is a former Assistant Majority Leader of the Senate, a position held from 2004 until 2007, has been Deputy Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate since 2008, and is also mayor of the borough of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey.
Nelida "Nellie" Avila Pou is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2012, representing the 35th Legislative District. She previously represented the 35th district in the General Assembly. When Pou was sworn into the Assembly on January 29, 1997, to succeed Bill Pascrell, she became the first woman and the first Hispanic to represent the 35th district.
Peter C. Eagler was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who represented the 34th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2002 to 2006. He served as a city councilman in Clifton, New Jersey, from 1990 to 2002, and again from 2006 to 2022.
New Jersey's 9th congressional district is an urban congressional district in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and was represented in Congress by Democrat Bill Pascrell until his death in 2024, first elected in 1996 from the old 8th district. The 9th district consists largely of municipalities in Bergen and Passaic Counties.
The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; the redistricting is completed within an independent, bipartisan commission. The apportionment of members of the Redistricting Commission is carefully balanced between legislative and executive majorities and is purposefully designed to allow the minority party an equal number of seats on the commission. This commission deals with districts for the U.S. House of Representatives while the New Jersey Apportionment Commission deals with legislative districts for the New Jersey Legislature.
Hawthorne High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in 9th through twelfth grades from Hawthorne, in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school operates as the lone secondary school of the Hawthorne Public Schools.
Frank Xavier Graves Jr. was an American Democratic Party politician who is best known for serving two separate terms as Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey. He also served on the Paterson City Council, the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders and in the New Jersey Senate in his long career.
New Jersey's 40th legislative district is one of 40 districts that make up the map for the New Jersey Legislature. It covers the Bergen County municipalities of Franklin Lakes, Ridgewood, and Wyckoff; the Essex County municipalities of Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, Verona, and West Caldwell; and the Passaic County municipalities of Little Falls, Hawthorne, Totowa, Wayne and Woodland Park.
Benjie E. Wimberly is an American teacher and Democratic Party politician who represents the 35th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly. He was also the head coach of the football team at Hackensack High School and is serving as the recreation director of Paterson.
Kristin M. Corrado is an American Republican Party politician who has represented the 40th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate since she was sworn into office on October 5, 2017. Before her appointment to the senate, she served as Passaic County Clerk for seven years.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 3, 2020, to elect the 12 U.S. representatives from the state of New Jersey, one from each of the state's 12 congressional districts. The primary election in which candidates were chosen took place on July 7, 2020. The general election coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
The 2024 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of New Jersey. Democratic Congressman Andy Kim defeated Republican real estate developer Curtis Bashaw in the general election with about 53 percent of the vote. Kim will succeed Democratic interim appointee George Helmy, who is serving as a caretaker for Democrat Bob Menendez's third term. Kim will assume office in December after the election is certified in order to give an advantage in seniority.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the 12 U.S. representatives from the state of New Jersey, one from each of the state's 12 congressional districts.
The 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 4, 2025, to elect the governor of New Jersey. Incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy is term-limited and therefore ineligible to seek a third consecutive term.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey were held on November 5, 2024, to elect the twelve U.S. representatives from the State of New Jersey, one from all twelve of the state's congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The primary elections were held on June 4, 2024.