Thomas G. Dunn
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gerard Dunn was an American Democratic Party
politician who was a longtime Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey
. His 28 years leading the city made him the longest-serving mayor of a city in the United States with more than 100,000 people. He also served in the New Jersey Senate
from 1973 to 1977, representing the 21st Legislative District
, and in the New Jersey General Assembly
from 1992 to 1994 where he represented the 20th Legislative District
. During the 1972 presidential election
, Dunn served as a national co-chairman of Democrats for Nixon
and was a frequent supporter of other Republican national and state candidates.
. He enlisted in the United States Navy
during World War II
, serving as an aerial gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
and the Air Medal
. After completing his military service he helped found Local 1470 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
while working at the Kearny, New Jersey
Western Electric
facility.
Board of Chosen Freeholders
in 1959. He ran for Mayor of Elizabeth and lost in 1961, but was elected to the first of seven four-year terms in office in 1964.
In the wake of the 1967 Newark riots
, Dunn issued orders to use deadly force if rioting erupted in the city, which was credited with preventing the spread of unrest to Elizabeth. After gasoline stations ran low on supplies following the 1973 oil crisis
, Dunn made Elizabeth one of the first cities in the nation to impose odd-even rationing
. He angered many in the large Hispanic community in the 1980s, when he ordered that all city business be conducted in the English language.
He was sworn in to his seventh, and what he said would be his final, term of office as mayor in 1989, making him what The New York Times
described as being "believed to be the longest-serving mayor of a city of more than 100,000 residents". despite his assurances that he would not run for mayor again, Dunn ran in the 1992 Democratic primary and lost his bid for the nomination to Jay Christian Bollwage, who went on the win in the November elections by a 3-1 margin over his Republican challenger.
During the 1972 United States presidential election, Dunn served as one of the national co-chairman of Democrats for Nixon. Dunn was "read out of the party" in 1974 for his support of the Republican Nixon. He supported Jimmy Carter
in the 1980 presidential race, but became the New Jersey chair of Democrats for Reagan in 1984. He bucked the Democratic Party again in 1993, serving as state co-chair of Democrats supporting Republican Christine Todd Whitman
in her successful race against Democratic incumbent James Florio
.
. After a single term in the Senate, Dunn was dropped by the Union County Democrats and was replaced on the party line by John T. Gregorio
. Dunn ran as an independent and lost to Gregorio in the general election. Dunn ran for the General Assembly in 1991, serving a single term in office from 1992 to 1994 with running mate George Hudak.
from 1974 to 1992.
In 1982, Mr. Dunn founded the Thornsticks, a local charitable group that quietly helped families in need. The name was taken from the crooked walking sticks used in Ireland.
The son of Thomas G. and Keturah Floruss Dunn, Dunn died at age 76 on February 11, 1998, at his home in Elizabeth due to prostate cancer
. He was survived by his second wife, Sally, as well as a son, Thomas G Dunn Jr. (1947-)and his wife Elizabeth, a daughter, Kathleen Dunn Priestley (1952-) and her husband Robert, and three grandchildren, Brian Priestley (1979–2008), Mairin Priestley (1982-) and Meghan Dunn (1993-). His first wife, Ruth, had died in 1989.
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...
politician who was a longtime Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey
Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey
Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey:*J. Christian Bollwage 1992 to present*Thomas Gerard Dunn 1964 to 1992. He was the nation's longest-serving mayor of a city of more than 100,000 people.*Steven J. Bercik 1956 to 1964....
. His 28 years leading the city made him the longest-serving mayor of a city in the United States with more than 100,000 people. He also 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...
from 1973 to 1977, representing 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 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 1994 where he represented 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...
. During the 1972 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
, Dunn served as a national co-chairman of Democrats for Nixon
Democrats for Nixon
Democrats for Nixon was a campaign to promote Democratic support for the then-incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon in the 1972 presidential election...
and was a frequent supporter of other Republican national and state candidates.
Biography
Dunn was born on April 9, 1921 and raised in Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
. He enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, serving as an aerial gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
and the Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
. After completing his military service he helped found Local 1470 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is a labor union which represents workers in the electrical industry in the United States, Canada, Panama and several Caribbean island nations; particularly electricians, or Inside Wiremen, in the construction industry and linemen and other...
while working at the Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. It was named after Civil War general Philip Kearny. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population was 40,684. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark....
Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
facility.
Mayor
In his first bid for elected office in 1950, he fell six votes short of winning in a seat on the Elizabeth City Council, but came back and won in 1952. He was elected to the Union CountyUnion 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...
Board of Chosen Freeholders
Board of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
in 1959. He ran for Mayor of Elizabeth and lost in 1961, but was elected to the first of seven four-year terms in office in 1964.
In the wake of the 1967 Newark riots
1967 Newark riots
The 1967 Newark riots were a major civil disturbance that occurred in the city of Newark, New Jersey between July 12 and July 17, 1967. The six days of rioting, looting, and destruction left 26 dead and hundreds injured.-Social unrest:...
, Dunn issued orders to use deadly force if rioting erupted in the city, which was credited with preventing the spread of unrest to Elizabeth. After gasoline stations ran low on supplies following the 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, Dunn made Elizabeth one of the first cities in the nation to impose odd-even rationing
Odd-even rationing
Odd-even rationing is a method of rationing in which access to some resource is restricted to half the population on any given day. In a common example, cars are allowed to drive or to purchase gasoline on alternate days, according to whether the last digit in their license plate is even or odd...
. He angered many in the large Hispanic community in the 1980s, when he ordered that all city business be conducted in the English language.
He was sworn in to his seventh, and what he said would be his final, term of office as mayor in 1989, making him what 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...
described as being "believed to be the longest-serving mayor of a city of more than 100,000 residents". despite his assurances that he would not run for mayor again, Dunn ran in the 1992 Democratic primary and lost his bid for the nomination to Jay Christian Bollwage, who went on the win in the November elections by a 3-1 margin over his Republican challenger.
During the 1972 United States presidential election, Dunn served as one of the national co-chairman of Democrats for Nixon. Dunn was "read out of the party" in 1974 for his support of the Republican Nixon. He supported Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
in the 1980 presidential race, but became the New Jersey chair of Democrats for Reagan in 1984. He bucked the Democratic Party again in 1993, serving as state co-chair of Democrats supporting Republican 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...
in her successful race against Democratic incumbent James Florio
James Florio
James Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
.
Senator and Assemblyman
He was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 1973, where he opposed passage of the Equal Rights AmendmentEqual Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
. After a single term in the Senate, Dunn was dropped by the Union County Democrats and was replaced on the party line by John T. Gregorio
John T. Gregorio
John T. Gregorio, Sr. is an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1976 to 1978 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 to 1983. Gregorio represented the 21st Legislative District until 1978, when redistricting following the 1980 United States Census...
. Dunn ran as an independent and lost to Gregorio in the general election. Dunn ran for the General Assembly in 1991, serving a single term in office from 1992 to 1994 with running mate George Hudak.
Personal
Dunn shared his passion for Irish music and culture on Tom Dunn's Irish Show, which ran on radio station WJDMWJDM
WJDM AM is a local AM radio station serving Elizabeth, New Jersey and the surrounding municipalities with Spanish language programming. The station's transmitter is located in nearby Union Township, Union County, New Jersey...
from 1974 to 1992.
In 1982, Mr. Dunn founded the Thornsticks, a local charitable group that quietly helped families in need. The name was taken from the crooked walking sticks used in Ireland.
The son of Thomas G. and Keturah Floruss Dunn, Dunn died at age 76 on February 11, 1998, at his home in Elizabeth due to prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. He was survived by his second wife, Sally, as well as a son, Thomas G Dunn Jr. (1947-)and his wife Elizabeth, a daughter, Kathleen Dunn Priestley (1952-) and her husband Robert, and three grandchildren, Brian Priestley (1979–2008), Mairin Priestley (1982-) and Meghan Dunn (1993-). His first wife, Ruth, had died in 1989.