Leonard Lance
Encyclopedia
Leonard Lance is the U.S. Representative
for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party
. He previously served in the New Jersey Senate
and the New Jersey General Assembly
.
, into a political family. His father, Wesley L. Lance
, was a State Senator. His great-uncle, H. Kiefer Lance, was also active in New Jersey politics.
After attending North Hunterdon High School
in Annandale, New Jersey
, Lance received a B.A.
from Lehigh University
, a J.D.
from Vanderbilt University Law School
and an M.P.A.
from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
at Princeton University
.
Leonard Lance served as the law clerk to the Warren County
Court in 1977 and 1978. He was assistant counsel for county and municipal matters to Governor of New Jersey
Thomas Kean
from 1983 to 1990. He was a member of the New Jersey Council on the Humanities during the Whitman
Administration by appointment of the Governor.
for 11 years (1991–2002), where he served as the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee from 2000 to 2002 and the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, when it handled the state budget, from 1996 to 2000. While Appropriations Committee Chairman, the committee oversaw state finances, taxation and spending on individual legislation, while budget issues were passed to a separate Budget Committee.
In 2002 he was elected to the New Jersey Senate
and held the position of Minority Leader
from 2004 to 2008. He served on the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, the Legislative Services Commission and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. As Republican Budget Officer, he served as the Ranking Minority Member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, along with serving as the Republican Senate Caucus' chief point person on budget and finance issues and in budget negotiations.
On June 3, 2008, Lance won the Republican primary to replace retiring Congressman Mike Ferguson in the New Jersey's 7th congressional district
with 40% of the vote, defeating six opponents: Kate Whitman, the daughter of former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman
, former Summit Common Council President
P. Kelly Hatfield, Scotch Plains Mayor
Martin Marks, veteran Tom Roughneen, activist Darren Young, and professor A.D. Amir. The primary left his campaign's funds depleted, leading him to hold several fundraisers, including one with President George W. Bush
. Touring his district, he ran on a platform of fiscal conservatism, moderate social values, and environmentalism. He vowed to be "an independent voice" in Congress if elected.
His Democratic opponent was Linda Stender
, a New Jersey Assemblywoman who unsuccessfully challenged Republican incumbent Ferguson in 2006.
During the campaign, Lance took strong positions against the Alternative Minimum Tax
, the estate tax, Governor Jon Corzine
's controversial toll hike plan, and the partisan nature of the United States Congress. He came under fire from Stender's campaign for his 2006 vote in the New Jersey Senate against a bill which prevented pharmacists from refusing to dispense medication such as birth control pills due to religious concerns. Lance was one of only a few Senators to vote against the bill. However, both Lance and Stender are pro-choice
. Lance was firmly opposed to negotiations with Iran on the presidential level, saying that he only favors holding such talks on a ministerial level. He also made energy independence one of his signature issues, along with fiscal accountability and debt reduction. On foreign policy, both candidates supported withdrawal from Iraq
, a two-state solution in the Israel
-Palestine
conflict, and increased attention to the genocide in Darfur
.
Lance and Stender debated each other twice during the campaign. In September, they met in Scotch Plains
for a debate hosted at the Jewish Community Campus of Central New Jersey. It was moderated by Westfield
Rabbi Douglas Segal. The candidates met in October in Edison
for a second debate, which was televised on News 12 New Jersey
and moderated by Walt Kane.
On October 21, The Star-Ledger
editorial board endorsed Lance in the 2008 election. On October 25, The New York Times
followed suit. Eight other newspapers also endorsed Lance over Stender.
On Election Day, November 4, 2008, Lance won the seat, defeating Linda Stender. Results of the election were Lance 142,004 51% to Stender 116,171 41%.
2010
On June 8, 2010, Lance defeated three other candidates in the 7th District Republican primary, two of whom claimed to be tea party activists. He received 56% of the vote with the rest of the vote split among: businessman David Larsen (31%), IT consultant Alonzo "Lon" Hosford (8%), and real estate appraiser Bruce Baker (5%) - the lowest percentage of any of the state's winning incumbents.
Lance defeated the Democratic nominee, science teacher Ed Potosnak
, in the November general election by a vote of 104,642 to 71,486.
, a national women's reproductive health care provider that also performs abortions. He also joined his party in opposing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009
, and 2009 "war supplemental"
, while breaking with it in voting for the Omnibus Public Land Management Act
, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
, and the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
. During President Bush's tenure and while he was still in the state senate, Lance openly voiced support for the Iraq War.
In June 2009 Lance was one of only eight Republicans in the House of Representatives to break with their party and vote for the American Clean Energy and Security Act
. Lance had campaigned as a strong advocate for environmental protection and reduction of American dependence on foreign oil. In supporting the bill, Lance cited the bill's economic benefits for New Jersey, the fact that it would not enlarge the national debt, estimates by the Energy Information Administration
and Congressional Budget Office
suggesting that costs to consumers would be minimal, and its goal of reducing American dependence on foreign oil.
Lance voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
, and has been at the forefront of action to encourage the Supreme Court to review the legislation. Lance is a member of the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership
.
, of Centenary College
in Hackettstown
and of McCarter Theatre in Princeton
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He previously served 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...
and 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...
.
Early life, education, and early political career
Leonard Lance was born in Easton, PennsylvaniaEaston, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
, into a political family. His father, Wesley L. Lance
Wesley Lance
Wesley Leonard Lance was an American Republican Party politician, who served as a member of both the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate....
, was a State Senator. His great-uncle, H. Kiefer Lance, was also active in New Jersey politics.
After attending North Hunterdon High School
North Hunterdon High School
North Hunterdon High School is a four-year public high school located in Clinton Township, New Jersey, serving students from six municipalities in northern Hunterdon County as one of two high schools in the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District...
in Annandale, New Jersey
Annandale, New Jersey
Annandale is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Clinton Township, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 1,276...
, Lance received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
, a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Vanderbilt University Law School
Vanderbilt University Law School
Vanderbilt University Law School is a graduate school of Vanderbilt University. Established in 1874, it is one of the oldest law schools in the southern United States. Vanderbilt Law has consistently ranked among the top 20 law schools in the nation, and is currently ranked 16th in the 2012...
and an M.P.A.
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs is a professional public policy school at Princeton University. The school has granted undergraduate A.B. degrees since 1930 and graduate degrees since 1948...
at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Leonard Lance served as the law clerk to the Warren County
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
Court in 1977 and 1978. He was assistant counsel for county and municipal matters to 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...
Thomas Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
from 1983 to 1990. He was a member of the New Jersey Council on the Humanities during the 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...
Administration by appointment of the Governor.
New Jersey Legislature
Lance served in the New Jersey General AssemblyNew 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...
for 11 years (1991–2002), where he served as the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee from 2000 to 2002 and the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, when it handled the state budget, from 1996 to 2000. While Appropriations Committee Chairman, the committee oversaw state finances, taxation and spending on individual legislation, while budget issues were passed to a separate Budget Committee.
In 2002 he was elected to 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...
and held the position of Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
from 2004 to 2008. He served on the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, the Legislative Services Commission and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. As Republican Budget Officer, he served as the Ranking Minority Member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, along with serving as the Republican Senate Caucus' chief point person on budget and finance issues and in budget negotiations.
Elections
2008On June 3, 2008, Lance won the Republican primary to replace retiring Congressman Mike Ferguson in the New Jersey's 7th congressional district
New Jersey's 7th congressional district
New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Leonard Lance.In the 2008 election, Mike Ferguson did not seek another term. Linda Stender won the Democratic nomination unopposed, while Republican primary voters chose State Senator Leonard Lance in a field of...
with 40% of the vote, defeating six opponents: Kate Whitman, the daughter of former Gov. 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...
, former Summit Common Council President
Summit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
P. Kelly Hatfield, Scotch Plains Mayor
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:...
Martin Marks, veteran Tom Roughneen, activist Darren Young, and professor A.D. Amir. The primary left his campaign's funds depleted, leading him to hold several fundraisers, including one with President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Touring his district, he ran on a platform of fiscal conservatism, moderate social values, and environmentalism. He vowed to be "an independent voice" in Congress if elected.
His Democratic opponent was 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...
, a New Jersey Assemblywoman who unsuccessfully challenged Republican incumbent Ferguson in 2006.
During the campaign, Lance took strong positions against the Alternative Minimum Tax
Alternative Minimum Tax
The Alternative Minimum Tax is an income tax imposed by the United States federal government on individuals, corporations, estates, and trusts. AMT is imposed at a nearly flat rate on an adjusted amount of taxable income above a certain threshold . This exemption is substantially higher than the...
, the estate tax, Governor Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
's controversial toll hike plan, and the partisan nature of the United States Congress. He came under fire from Stender's campaign for his 2006 vote in the New Jersey Senate against a bill which prevented pharmacists from refusing to dispense medication such as birth control pills due to religious concerns. Lance was one of only a few Senators to vote against the bill. However, both Lance and Stender are pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
. Lance was firmly opposed to negotiations with Iran on the presidential level, saying that he only favors holding such talks on a ministerial level. He also made energy independence one of his signature issues, along with fiscal accountability and debt reduction. On foreign policy, both candidates supported withdrawal from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, a two-state solution in the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
-Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
conflict, and increased attention to the genocide in Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
.
Lance and Stender debated each other twice during the campaign. In September, they met in Scotch Plains
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:...
for a debate hosted at the Jewish Community Campus of Central New Jersey. It was moderated by Westfield
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....
Rabbi Douglas Segal. The candidates met in October in Edison
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
for a second debate, which was televised on News 12 New Jersey
News 12 New Jersey
News 12 New Jersey is a 24-hour cable news television channel reaching more than 1.8 million television homes within the New York City metropolitan area. The channel operates as an independent unit of News 12 Networks, the first, largest and most watched regional news network in United States...
and moderated by Walt Kane.
On October 21, The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
editorial board endorsed Lance in the 2008 election. On October 25, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
followed suit. Eight other newspapers also endorsed Lance over Stender.
On Election Day, November 4, 2008, Lance won the seat, defeating Linda Stender. Results of the election were Lance 142,004 51% to Stender 116,171 41%.
2010
On June 8, 2010, Lance defeated three other candidates in the 7th District Republican primary, two of whom claimed to be tea party activists. He received 56% of the vote with the rest of the vote split among: businessman David Larsen (31%), IT consultant Alonzo "Lon" Hosford (8%), and real estate appraiser Bruce Baker (5%) - the lowest percentage of any of the state's winning incumbents.
Lance defeated the Democratic nominee, science teacher Ed Potosnak
Ed Potosnak
Ed Potosnak is an American teacher and politician in the Democratic Party. He was the unsuccessful candidate in the 2010 election for Congress in New Jersey's 7th district. He is seeking the Democratic nomination to run for the seat again in 2012....
, in the November general election by a vote of 104,642 to 71,486.
Tenure
Lance is conservative on fiscal issues. He is moderate on social issues, as he is pro-choice but voted against continued funding to Planned ParenthoodPlanned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
, a national women's reproductive health care provider that also performs abortions. He also joined his party in opposing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009
Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009
The Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 is an Act for the United States government that combines bills funding the operations of each of the Cabinet departments, except Defense, Homeland Security, and Veteran Affairs into a single appropriation bill...
, and 2009 "war supplemental"
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009
The Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 is a United States federal law appropriating public funds for spending in the Iraq War and Afghanistan War during the 2009 fiscal year....
, while breaking with it in voting for the Omnibus Public Land Management Act
Omnibus Public Land Management Act
The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 is a law passed in the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2009.-110th Congress:...
, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is a United States federal law that gives the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate the tobacco industry...
, and the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act or Serve America Act was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on March 9, 2009, by Representative Carolyn McCarthy of New York. Originally titled the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act , the bill reauthorizes and...
. During President Bush's tenure and while he was still in the state senate, Lance openly voiced support for the Iraq War.
In June 2009 Lance was one of only eight Republicans in the House of Representatives to break with their party and vote for the American Clean Energy and Security Act
American Clean Energy and Security Act
The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 was an energy bill in the 111th United States Congress that would have established a variant of an emissions trading plan similar to the European Union Emission Trading Scheme...
. Lance had campaigned as a strong advocate for environmental protection and reduction of American dependence on foreign oil. In supporting the bill, Lance cited the bill's economic benefits for New Jersey, the fact that it would not enlarge the national debt, estimates by the Energy Information Administration
Energy Information Administration
The U.S. Energy Information Administration is the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. EIA collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and...
and Congressional Budget Office
Congressional Budget Office
The Congressional Budget Office is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government that provides economic data to Congress....
suggesting that costs to consumers would be minimal, and its goal of reducing American dependence on foreign oil.
Lance voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
, and has been at the forefront of action to encourage the Supreme Court to review the legislation. Lance is a member of the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership
Republican Main Street Partnership
The Republican Main Street Partnership is a group of moderate members of the United States Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards a moderate fiscal conservatism and limited government to a degree. The group is the rough equivalent of...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Energy and CommerceUnited States House Committee on Energy and CommerceThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade
- Subcommittee on Health
Personal life
He married his wife, Heidi A. Rohrbach, a vice president at JPMorgan Chase, in 1996. They have no children. . He is currently a trustee of the Newark MuseumNewark Museum
The Newark Museum is the largest museum in New Jersey, USA. It holds fine collections of American art, decorative arts, contemporary art, and arts of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the ancient world...
, of Centenary College
Centenary College of New Jersey
Centenary College was founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church. Centenary has evolved from a coeducational preparatory school to a girls' preparatory school , to a Junior college for women , to a four-year women's college , to a coeducational...
in Hackettstown
Hackettstown, New Jersey
Hackettstown is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 9,724. The town is located in the eastern most region of the Lehigh Valley....
and of McCarter Theatre in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
.
External links
- Congressman Leonard Lance official U.S. House website
- Leonard Lance for Congress official campaign website
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms - Leonard Lance