Stephen A. Mikulak
Encyclopedia
Stephen A. Mikulak is 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
.
Mikulak ran for the General Assembly in what had traditionally been a solidly Democratic district, as part of a campaign that targeted the Democrats statewide as being responsible for higher taxes. As part of the Republican landslide that year in the New Jersey Legislature in the wake of Governor of New Jersey
Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax increase package, Mikulak was elected to the Assembly together with running mate Ernest L. Oros
and Randy Corman
in the Senate, defeating incumbent Democrat Thomas J. Deverin
and his running mate Jay Ziznewski. Oros was re-elected to the Assembly in 1993, together with Oros, though Corman lost his seat in the Senate to Democrat Jim McGreevey
.
A bill proposed by Mikulak in June 1992 would ban the use of photo radar to ticket drivers caught speeding on the state's roadways, arguing that "bureaucracy has found ways of making things happen in the past that they said they weren't going to do" and that the practice of dispensing such tickets had to be prevented before any police agencies attempted to use a photo radar system. In June 1992, Mikulak sponsored legislation in the Assembly that would increase the speed limit on 400 miles (643.7 km) of state highways to 65 miles per hour (29.1 m/s) from the previous 55 miles per hour (24.6 m/s) limit, arguing that drivers were not respecting the lower speed limit and the fact that the highways had been constructed to accommodate the faster traffic.
On July 28, 1993, Governor of New Jersey Jim Florio signed a bill sponsored by Mikulak that passed with bipartisan support in both houses of the legislature which would impose the death penalty on terrorists convicted of killing anyone in New Jersey. Mikulak proposed the bill in March 1993 after visiting a room where four people had been killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
.
In the 1995 elections, Oros and Mikulak were unseated by Arline Friscia
and John S. Wisniewski
, two of the five seats that the Democrats picked up in that cycle. Mikulak ran for the New Jersey Senate
in 1997, losing to Democrat Joseph Vitale
by a 60.2%-39.8% margin for the open seat vacated by Jim McGreevey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
politician who served two terms 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...
, from 1992 to 1996, where he represented the 19th Legislative District
19th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 19th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of Carteret Borough, Perth Amboy City, Sayreville Borough, South Amboy City and Woodbridge Township...
, which covers portions of 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...
.
Mikulak ran for the General Assembly in what had traditionally been a solidly Democratic district, as part of a campaign that targeted the Democrats statewide as being responsible for higher taxes. As part of the Republican landslide that year in the New Jersey Legislature in the wake of 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...
Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax increase package, Mikulak was elected to the Assembly together with running mate Ernest L. Oros
Ernest L. Oros
Ernest L. Oros is 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....
and Randy Corman
Randy Corman
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....
in the Senate, defeating incumbent Democrat Thomas J. Deverin
Thomas J. Deverin
Thomas J. Deverin was an American Democratic Party politician who served 11 terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1970 to 1992, where he represented the 21st Legislative District until 1982, when redistricting following the 1990 United States Census relocated him to the 20th District...
and his running mate Jay Ziznewski. Oros was re-elected to the Assembly in 1993, together with Oros, though Corman lost his seat in the Senate to Democrat Jim McGreevey
Jim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
.
A bill proposed by Mikulak in June 1992 would ban the use of photo radar to ticket drivers caught speeding on the state's roadways, arguing that "bureaucracy has found ways of making things happen in the past that they said they weren't going to do" and that the practice of dispensing such tickets had to be prevented before any police agencies attempted to use a photo radar system. In June 1992, Mikulak sponsored legislation in the Assembly that would increase the speed limit on 400 miles (643.7 km) of state highways to 65 miles per hour (29.1 m/s) from the previous 55 miles per hour (24.6 m/s) limit, arguing that drivers were not respecting the lower speed limit and the fact that the highways had been constructed to accommodate the faster traffic.
On July 28, 1993, Governor of New Jersey Jim Florio signed a bill sponsored by Mikulak that passed with bipartisan support in both houses of the legislature which would impose the death penalty on terrorists convicted of killing anyone in New Jersey. Mikulak proposed the bill in March 1993 after visiting a room where four people had been killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
1993 World Trade Center bombing
The 1993 World Trade Center bombing occurred on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The 1,336 lb urea nitrate–hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to knock the North Tower into the South Tower , bringing...
.
In the 1995 elections, Oros and Mikulak were unseated by Arline Friscia
Arline Friscia
Arline M. Friscia is an American politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1996 to 2002, where she represented the 19th Legislative District...
and John S. Wisniewski
John S. Wisniewski
John S. Wisniewski is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1996, where he represents the 19th Legislative District....
, two of the five seats that the Democrats picked up in that cycle. Mikulak ran for 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...
in 1997, losing to Democrat Joseph Vitale
Joseph Vitale
Joseph F. Vitale is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1998, where he represents the 19th Legislative District...
by a 60.2%-39.8% margin for the open seat vacated by Jim McGreevey
Jim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
.