New Jersey's

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

 22nd Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County

Middlesex County, New Jersey

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...

 municipality of Dunellen Borough

Dunellen, New Jersey

Dunellen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 6,823.Dunellen was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 28, 1887, when it broke away from Piscataway Township, based on the results...

 and Middlesex Borough

Middlesex, New Jersey

Middlesex is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,635.Middlesex was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1913, from portions of Piscataway Township, based on the results...

, the Somerset County

Somerset County, New Jersey

Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....

 localities of Green Brook Township

Green Brook Township, New Jersey

Green Brook Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 7,203....

 and North Plainfield Borough

North Plainfield, New Jersey

North Plainfield is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 21,936....

, and the Union County

Union County, New Jersey

Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...

 municipalities of Clark Township

Clark, New Jersey

Clark is a township in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 14,756.-History:...

, Fanwood Borough

Fanwood, New Jersey

Fanwood is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,318.Fanwood was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 2, 1895, from portions of Fanwood Township , based on the results of a...

, Linden City

Linden, New Jersey

- Local government :, the Mayor of Linden is . The former longtime Mayor of Linden is 82-year-old John T. Gregorio, who served as mayor of Linden for 30, nonconsecutive years and was repeatedly tagged with scandal during his mayoral career, including one felony conviction, later pardoned, which...

, Plainfield City

Plainfield, New Jersey

Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....

, Rahway City

Rahway, New Jersey

Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...

, Scotch Plains Township

Scotch Plains, New Jersey

Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...

 and Winfield Township

Winfield Township, New Jersey

Winfield Township is a township in Union County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population decreased to a record low of 1,471...

. As of the 2000 United States Census, the district had a population of 207,037.

Changes to the district made as part of the New Jersey Legislative redistricting in 2001

New Jersey Legislative Districts, 2001 redistricting

The members of the New Jersey Legislature are chosen from 40 electoral districts. Each district elects one Senator and two Assemblymen.New Jersey is one of only seven states with nested state legislative districts, in which two or more state House are coextensive with a single state Senate seat. In...

, based on the results of the 2000 United States Census added Middlesex Borough and Plainfield City (from the 17th Legislative District

17th Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 17th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of Highland Park Borough, Milltown Borough, New Brunswick City, North Brunswick Township, Piscataway Township, along with the Somerset County municipality of Franklin Township...

), Rahway City (from the 20th Legislative District

20th Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 20th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Union County municipalities of Elizabeth City, Kenilworth Borough, Roselle Borough and Union Township...

) and Linden City (from the 21st Legislative District

21st Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 21st Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Essex County municipality of Millburn Township, the Morris County communities of Chatham Township, Harding Township, Long Hill Township and Madison Borough, the Somerset County localities of Warren Township and Watchung...

) and removed Berkeley Heights Township

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey

Berkeley Heights is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,183....

, Chatham Township

Chatham Township, New Jersey

Chatham Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 10,452.Chatham Township was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 12, 1806, from portions of Hanover Township and Morris Township, based on...

, Cranford Township

Cranford, New Jersey

Cranford is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 22,625.Cranford was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1871, from portions of the Townships of Clark, Linden,...

, Garwood Borough

Garwood, New Jersey

Garwood is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,226.Garwood was incorporated as a borough on March 19, 1903, from portions of Cranford Township and Westfield Town....

, Long Hill Township

Long Hill Township, New Jersey

-Local government:Long Hill Township is governed under the Township form of government with a five-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for...

, Mountainside Borough

Mountainside, New Jersey

If you are looking for the community in Ontario, see Mountainside, Ontario.Mountainside is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States...

, New Providence Borough

New Providence, New Jersey

New Providence is a borough on the northwestern edge of Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is located on the Passaic River, which forms the county boundary with Morris County...

, Warren Township

Warren Township, New Jersey

Warren Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 15,311....

, Watchung Borough

Watchung, New Jersey

Watchung is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,801.Watchung was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 23, 1826, from portions of North Plainfield Township based on the results...

 and Westfield Town

Westfield, New Jersey

Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....

 (to the 21st Legislative District).

Demographic characteristics

The district has the 8th highest percentage of African American residents of all 40 districts statewide. The municipal tax rate is 11th highest and school taxes are 12th highest leading to one of the highest overall tax rates, after including rebates, which was the 7th highest in the state. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 5-2 margin.

Political representation

The district is represented in the New Jersey Senate

New Jersey Senate

The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

 by Nicholas Scutari

Nicholas Scutari

Nicholas P. Scutari is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2004, where he represents the 22nd Legislative District....

 (D

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, Linden

Linden, New Jersey

- Local government :, the Mayor of Linden is . The former longtime Mayor of Linden is 82-year-old John T. Gregorio, who served as mayor of Linden for 30, nonconsecutive years and was repeatedly tagged with scandal during his mayoral career, including one felony conviction, later pardoned, which...

) and in the New Jersey General Assembly

New Jersey General Assembly

The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...

 by Jerry Green (D

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, Plainfield

Plainfield, New Jersey

Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....

) and Linda Stender

Linda Stender

Linda Stender is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where she represents the 22nd legislative district. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th District, in 2006 and...

 (D

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, Fanwood

Fanwood, New Jersey

Fanwood is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,318.Fanwood was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 2, 1895, from portions of Fanwood Township , based on the results of a...

).

Election history

Facing challenges from the Democrats, the team of Peter McDonough

Peter McDonough

Peter J. McDonough was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature.-Biography:...

 in the Senate and Donald DiFrancesco

Donald DiFrancesco

Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....

 and William J. Maguire in the Assembly won re-election in 1977.
In the wake of redistricting following the 1980 United States Census, McDonough chose not to run for re-election, setting off a 1981 primary battle between Assemblymembers DiFrancesco and Maguire. DiFrancesco won the Senate seat while Bob Franks

Bob Franks

Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...

 and Maureen Ogden

Maureen Ogden

Maureen B. Ogden is an American Republican Party politician who served seven terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1982 to 1996...

 won election in the Assembly.

In redistricting following the 1990 United States Census, Maureen Ogden

Maureen Ogden

Maureen B. Ogden is an American Republican Party politician who served seven terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1982 to 1996...

 was switched to the 21st District, where she won election to the Assembly, and Richard Bagger won the now-vacant ballot spot in the 22nd District.

Alan Augustine

Alan Augustine

Alan M. Augustine was an American Republican Party politician who served for 30 years as Mayor of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, councilman, freeholder and in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 22nd Legislative District, which included the Union County communities of Fanwood,...

 left office as of March 31, 2001, just several weeks before his death, due to health problems, and was succeeded by Thomas Kean, Jr.

As of January 21, 2001, DiFrancesco became the 51st Governor of New Jersey

Governor of New Jersey

The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...

 after Christine Todd Whitman

Christine Todd Whitman

Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...

 left office to become Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is the head of the United States federal government's Environmental Protection Agency, and is thus responsible for enforcing the nation's Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, as well as numerous other environmental statutes. The Administrator is...

, with DiFrancesco simultaneously holding his post as Senate President. In the 2001 redistricting

New Jersey Legislative Districts, 2001 redistricting

The members of the New Jersey Legislature are chosen from 40 electoral districts. Each district elects one Senator and two Assemblymen.New Jersey is one of only seven states with nested state legislative districts, in which two or more state House are coextensive with a single state Senate seat. In...

 following the 2000 United States Census, several of the suburban, Republican-leaning municipalities in the district were replaced by Linden, Plainfield and Rahway, which gave the district a distinct Democratic tilt. Bagger and Kean were relocated to the 21st District and the three legislative seats were taken by Democrats Joseph Suliga

Joseph Suliga

Joseph Suliga was an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate, where he represented the 22nd Legislative District, until 2004. Suliga did not run for re-election in 2003 after a scandal involving his alleged drunken sexual harassment of a woman in Atlantic...

 in the Senate and Jerry Green and Linda Stender

Linda Stender

Linda Stender is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where she represents the 22nd legislative district. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th District, in 2006 and...

 in the Assembly.

Suliga did not run for re-election in 2003 after a scandal involving his alleged drunken sexual harassment of a woman in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

. He resigned and entered rehabilitation for alcoholism and was replaced on the ballot and in the Senate by fellow Linden Democrat Nicholas Scutari

Nicholas Scutari

Nicholas P. Scutari is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2004, where he represents the 22nd Legislative District....

.

Session	State Senate	Assembly
1976-1977	Peter McDonough Peter McDonough Peter J. McDonough was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature.-Biography:...	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	William J. Maguire
1978-1979	Peter McDonough Peter McDonough Peter J. McDonough was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature.-Biography:...	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	William J. Maguire
1980-1981		Bob Franks Bob Franks Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...	William J. Maguire
1982-1983	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	Bob Franks Bob Franks Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...	Maureen Ogden Maureen Ogden Maureen B. Ogden is an American Republican Party politician who served seven terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1982 to 1996...
1984-1985	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	Bob Franks Bob Franks Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...	Maureen Ogden Maureen Ogden Maureen B. Ogden is an American Republican Party politician who served seven terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1982 to 1996...
1986-1987		Bob Franks Bob Franks Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...	Maureen Ogden Maureen Ogden Maureen B. Ogden is an American Republican Party politician who served seven terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1982 to 1996...
1988-1989	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	Bob Franks Bob Franks Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...	Maureen Ogden Maureen Ogden Maureen B. Ogden is an American Republican Party politician who served seven terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1982 to 1996...
1990-1991		Bob Franks Bob Franks Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...	Maureen Ogden Maureen Ogden Maureen B. Ogden is an American Republican Party politician who served seven terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1982 to 1996...
1992-1993	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	Richard Bagger	Bob Franks Bob Franks Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...
1994-1995	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	Alan Augustine Alan Augustine Alan M. Augustine was an American Republican Party politician who served for 30 years as Mayor of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, councilman, freeholder and in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 22nd Legislative District, which included the Union County communities of Fanwood,...	Richard Bagger
1996-1997		Alan Augustine Alan Augustine Alan M. Augustine was an American Republican Party politician who served for 30 years as Mayor of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, councilman, freeholder and in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 22nd Legislative District, which included the Union County communities of Fanwood,...	Richard Bagger
1998-1999	Donald DiFrancesco Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco was the 51st Governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002 by virtue of his status as President of the New Jersey Senate, the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature....	Alan Augustine Alan Augustine Alan M. Augustine was an American Republican Party politician who served for 30 years as Mayor of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, councilman, freeholder and in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 22nd Legislative District, which included the Union County communities of Fanwood,...	Richard Bagger
2000-2001		Alan Augustine Alan Augustine Alan M. Augustine was an American Republican Party politician who served for 30 years as Mayor of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, councilman, freeholder and in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 22nd Legislative District, which included the Union County communities of Fanwood,...	Richard Bagger
2002-2003	Joseph Suliga Joseph Suliga Joseph Suliga was an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate, where he represented the 22nd Legislative District, until 2004. Suliga did not run for re-election in 2003 after a scandal involving his alleged drunken sexual harassment of a woman in Atlantic...	Jerry Green	Linda Stender Linda Stender Linda Stender is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where she represents the 22nd legislative district. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th District, in 2006 and...
2004-2005	Nicholas Scutari Nicholas Scutari Nicholas P. Scutari is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2004, where he represents the 22nd Legislative District....	Jerry Green	Linda Stender Linda Stender Linda Stender is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where she represents the 22nd legislative district. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th District, in 2006 and...
2006-2007		Jerry Green	Linda Stender Linda Stender Linda Stender is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where she represents the 22nd legislative district. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th District, in 2006 and...
2008-2009	Nicholas Scutari Nicholas Scutari Nicholas P. Scutari is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2004, where he represents the 22nd Legislative District....	Jerry Green	Linda Stender Linda Stender Linda Stender is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where she represents the 22nd legislative district. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th District, in 2006 and...
2010-2011		Jerry Green	Linda Stender Linda Stender Linda Stender is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where she represents the 22nd legislative district. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 7th District, in 2006 and...