Christopher J. Connors (born June 26, 1956) is a New Jersey Republican Party politician, who served in the Senate from January 8, 2008 to January 9, 2024, where he represented the 9th Legislative District. He served in the General Assembly from January 9, 1990 to January 8, 2008.

Early life

Born in Ridgewood, New Jersey on June 26, 1956, Connors graduated from Southern Regional High School.[1] He received a B.S. degree in 1978 from Stockton State College (now Stockton University) in Business Administration, an M.P.A. in 1988 from Rutgers University in Public Administration and was awarded a J.D. in 1995 from the Rutgers School of Law - Camden in Camden.[2] He resides in the Forked River section of Lacey Township.[3] Connors is an attorney and is a partner at Dasti, Murphy, McGuckin, Ulaky, Koutsouris & Connors.[2]

Early Political Career

The son of Leonard T. Connors, he grew up in Surf City, New Jersey and gained his first exposure to politics as a child while helping his father run for city council. He moved to Toms River in 1978 and to Lacey Township four years later, where he was first encouraged to run on his own for elected office. Though initially reluctant to run for election, Connors said that "perhaps the urge to enter politics was a latent kind of urge for me".[4] Connors served on the Lacey Township Committee from 1985 to 1990 and was Mayor of Lacey Township from 1986 to 1989.[2] Connors was Executive Director from 1988 to 1989 and was Deputy Executive Director from 1982 to 1988 of the New Jersey Commission on Capital Budgeting and Planning during the Administration of former Governor Thomas Kean.

New Jersey Assembly

Connors was elected to the Assembly in 1989 and was sworn in on January 9, 1990. He served as Assistant Majority Leader of the Assembly from 1992 to 1996.[5] He sponsored a law enacted in January 2000 requiring installation of ignition interlock devices in cars of repeat drunk driving offenders and of a 1998 law requiring criminal background checks for nurse aides and home personal care licensing applicants.

New Jersey Senate

Connors succeeded his father, Leonard T. Connors, who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1982 to 2008.[6]

In January 2023, Connors announced that he would not be a candidate for reelection after 33 years of service in the New Jersey Legislature.[7]

Electoral history

Senate

New Jersey general election, 2017[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christopher J. Connors 41,438 64.6 Decrease 6.2
Democratic Brian Corley White 22,717 35.4 Increase 6.2
Total votes '64,155' '100.0'
New Jersey State Senate elections, 2013[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christopher J. Connors (incumbent) 46,949 70.8
Democratic Anthony Mazella 19,365 29.2
Republican hold
New Jersey State Senate elections, 2011[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christopher J. Connors (incumbent) 32,027 64.9
Democratic Dorothy A. Ryan 17,320 35.1
Republican hold
New Jersey State Senate elections, 2007[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christopher J. Connors 35,504 62.3
Democratic Russell K. Corby 21,524 37.7
Republican hold

Assembly

New Jersey general election, 2005[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christopher J. Connors 47,863 32.1 Decrease 0.6
Republican Brian E. Rumpf 44,761 30.0 Increase 1.3
Democratic Dolores J. Coulter 29,365 19.7 Increase 0.2
Democratic James Den Uyl 27,060 18.2 Decrease 0.9
Total votes '149,049' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2003[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christopher J. Connors 35,580 32.7 Increase 2.6
Republican Brian E. Rumpf 31,307 28.7 Decrease 0.9
Democratic Dolores J. Coulter 21,282 19.5 Decrease 1.3
Democratic Peter A. Terranova 20,763 19.1 Decrease 0.4
Total votes '108,932' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2001[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christopher J. Connors 44,004 30.1
Republican Jeffrey W. Moran 43,178 29.6
Democratic John F. Ryan 30,385 20.8
Democratic Robert DiBella 28,521 19.5
Total votes 146,088 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1999[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christopher J. Connors 31,492 30.6 Decrease 1.3
Republican Jeffrey W. Moran 31,182 30.3 Decrease 1.6
Democratic S. Karl Mohel 18,698 18.2 Increase 1.1
Democratic Jack Ryan 18,640 18.1 Increase 1.7
Conservative John N. Cardello 1,548 1.5 Increase 0.1
Conservative James W. Eissing 1,335 1.3 Decrease 0.1
Total votes '102,895' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 1997[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jeffrey W. Moran 47,232 31.9 Decrease 0.5
Republican Christopher J. Connors 47,205 31.9 Decrease 0.8
Democratic Sharon Fumei 25,398 17.1 Increase 2.5
Democratic Michael G. Carrig 24,298 16.4 Increase 1.8
Conservative James W. Eissing 2,015 1.4 Decrease 1.4
Conservative Nancy L. Eissing 2,009 1.4 Decrease 1.5
Total votes '148,157' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 1995 [17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christopher J. Connors 33,394 32.7 Increase 0.2
Republican Jeffrey W. Moran 33,113 32.4 Increase 0.2
Democratic Miriam Wolkofsky 14,979 14.6 Decrease 3.0
Democratic Matt Cutano 14,959 14.6 Decrease 3.0
Conservative Nancy L. Eissing 2,992 2.9 N/A
Conservative Leonard P. Marshall 2,835 2.8 N/A
Total votes '102,272' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 1993[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christopher J. Connors 49,885 32.5 Decrease 2.2
Republican Jeffrey W. Moran 49,363 32.2 Decrease 2.4
Democratic Thomas Woolsey 27,046 17.6 Increase 2.1
Democratic Robert K. Smith 26,979 17.6 Increase 2.4
Total votes '153,273' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 1989[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Christopher J. Connors 38,013 25.8 Decrease 5.9
Republican Jeffrey W. Moran 37,604 25.5 Decrease 5.2
Democratic Lawrence J. Williams 35,933 24.4 Increase 5.3
Democratic Joseph Meglino 35,753 24.3 Increase 5.7
Total votes '147,303' '100.0'

References

  1. ^ Staff. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 2004 Edition, p. 258. Lawyers Diary and Manual, LLC. ISBN 9781577411871. Accessed December 14, 2016. "Christopher J. Connors, Rep., Lacey. Assemblyman Connors was born in Ridgewood on June 26, 1956. He was graduated from Southern Regional High School, and attended Stockton College, where he received his degree in business administration in 1978."
  2. ^ a b c Senator Christopher J. Connors, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed February 22, 2022.
  3. ^ Assembly Member Christopher J. Connors, Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 9, 2007.
  4. ^ Staff. "Mayor got his ears wet in politics as a tot", Asbury Park Press, January 27, 1986. Accessed December 14, 2016. "Chris Connors grew up around politics. He was five years old when his father became a Surf City councilman. During his father's campaigns, he did everything from licking envelopes to going door-to-door in Surf City to promote his father."
  5. ^ "New Jersey Legislature - Assemblyman Christopher J. Connors". Archived from the original on February 5, 1997.
  6. ^ Previti, Emily. "Era ends today for Connors in Senate", The Press of Atlantic City, January 7, 2008. Accessed February 1, 2012. "Today marks the last legislative session for state Sen. Leonard T. Connors, who has held the seat for a quarter-century.... The 78-year-old will be succeeded by his son, Assemblyman Christopher Connors, R -Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, who will be sworn in to his Senate seat..."
  7. ^ Larsen, Erik; and Davis, Mike. "Christopher Connors not seeking reelection to NJ Senate", Asbury Park Press, January 3, 2023. Accessed March 20, 2023. "After more than three decades in the Legislature, state Sen. Christopher Connors, R-Lacey, will bow out at the end of this year. Connors, 66, announced Tuesday that he wouldn't seek reelection to a sixth term in the state Senate, capping off a 33-year stint representing the 9th Legislative District, including 17 years as an assemblyman."
  8. ^ "2017-official-general-election-results-state-senate.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  9. ^ "Official List Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2015 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. December 4, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  10. ^ Official List Candidate Returns for State Senate For November 2011 General Election Archived 2012-07-13 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State, December 14, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2012.
  11. ^ Official List Candidate Returns for State Senate For November 2007 General Election Archived 2012-08-22 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State, December 3, 2007. Accessed June 22, 2012.
  12. ^ "05831236.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  13. ^ "2003g_a_candidate_tally.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  14. ^ "2001-general-elect-gen-assembly-tallies.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  15. ^ "1999-general-elect-gen-assembly-candidate-tallies.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  16. ^ "1999-general-elect-gen-assembly-candidate-tallies.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  17. ^ "NJ General Assembly 09". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  18. ^ "1991-general-election-results-st-senate-gen-assembly.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  19. ^ "1989-general-election-results-gen-assembly.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved March 31, 2019.
New Jersey Senate
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey Senate for the 9th District
January 8, 2008–January 9, 2024 		Succeeded by
New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 9th District
January 9, 1990–January 8, 2008
With: Jeffrey Moran, Brian E. Rumpf 		Succeeded by
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_J._Connors
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