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John F. McKeon

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For other people named John McKeon, see John McKeon (disambiguation).

John McKeon
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 27th district
Assumed office
January 9, 2024
Preceded byRichard Codey
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 27th district
In office
January 8, 2002 – January 9, 2024
Serving with
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Mayor of West Orange
In office
July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2010
Preceded bySamuel Spina
Succeeded byRobert Parisi
Personal details
Born (1958-06-03) June 3, 1958 (age 66)
Montclair, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseAnn Mader
Children3
ResidenceWest Orange, New Jersey
EducationWest Orange Mountain High School
Alma mater
WebsiteLegislative website

John F. McKeon (born June 3, 1958) is an American Democratic Party politician who represents the 27th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate, which primarily covers the western portion of Essex County. McKeon previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2002 to 2024, where he was Assistant Majority Whip (2004–05), Assistant Majority Leader (2006–07), Majority Whip (2008–09), Deputy Speaker (2010–11) and was the Parliamentarian from 2022 to 2024.[1] He is also a former mayor of West Orange.[2]

Early life and education[edit]

McKeon was born June 3, 1958, in Montclair, New Jersey, the oldest of four children, born to John F. McKeon Jr. (1925–2002)[3] and Anita (née Monzo).[4] He is of Irish and Italian descent. McKeon was raised in Orange and West Orange, New Jersey. He is a graduate of West Orange Mountain High School.[5]

McKeon received a B.A. in 1980 from Muhlenberg College cum laude in history and was awarded a J.D. in 1983 from the Seton Hall University School of Law.[5][1] At graduation, he was the recipient of the Peter Rodino Law Society Outstanding Student Award.

Career[edit]

He then served as judicial clerk to Joseph M. Thuring, Superior Court of New Jersey in Hudson County, and as a legislative aide to Representative Joseph Minish. McKeon is a former legislative counsel to Senator Richard Codey and counsel to the West Orange Board of Adjustment.[6]

He is a senior partner at Hardin, Kundla, McKeon, Poletto and Polifroni, a law firm in Springfield Township. He is married to Ann Mader McKeon, also an attorney at the same firm, and has three daughters.[7][8]

Political career[edit]

McKeon had served on the Township of West Orange Council from 1992 to 1998 as the Mayor of West Orange from 1998 to 2010.[1] From the time that he took office in the Assembly in 2002 until he left his position as mayor in June 2010, he simultaneously held a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly and was West Orange Mayor. This dual position, often called double dipping, was allowed under a grandfather clause in the state law enacted by the New Jersey Legislature and signed into law by Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine in September 2007 that prevents dual-office-holding but allows those who had held both positions as of February 1, 2008, to retain both posts.[9] On July 1, 2010, Robert Parisi took over the mayoral position.[10]

On August 14, 2023 State Senator and former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey announced he would be retiring from the New Jersey State Senate at the end of his current term. McKeon was subsequently chosen as the new Democratic State Senate nominee for the newly redrawn state legislative district 27; he ultimately won the general election.[11][12]

New Jersey General Assembly[edit]

During his first term in the Legislature, McKeon was the prime sponsor of the Assembly version of the laws requiring school districts to adopt anti-harassment policies, strengthening school bus driver background checks and revising the State's laws concerning the release of wild animals, and was a prime sponsor of the Patients First Medical Malpractice Insurance reform legislation.[5]

Other leadership positions McKeon has held during his tenure in the Assembly include Assistant Majority Whip from 2004 to 2005, Assistant Majority Leader from 2006 to 2007, Majority Whip in 2008 and 2009, and Deputy Speaker from 2010 to 2011.[1] John McKeon was one of the 11 sponsors of the "New Jersey Insurance Marketplace Preservation Act" also known as bill A3380 which enacts the shared responsibility penalty in state income tax.[13]

New Jersey Senate[edit]

Following the 2021 reapportionment, all of the municipalities in Morris County were removed from the district, while the Passaic County municipality of Clifton was shifted from its longtime home in the 34th district.[14] In the June 2023 Democratic primary, the first held under the 2021 reapportionment, incumbent Senator Richard Codey defeated incumbent 34th district Senator Nia Gill, though Codey announced in August that he would retire at the end of the term. McKeon was selected to replace Codey on the November ballot.[15] McKeon defeated Republican Michael D. Byrne in the 2023 New Jersey Senate election.[16][17]

Committees[edit]

Committee assignments for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[1]

  • State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation (as vice-chair)
  • Environment and Energy

District 27[edit]

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.[18] The representatives from the 27th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[19]

Electoral history[edit]

Senate[edit]

27th Legislative District General Election, 2023[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John F. McKeon 28,499 71.1
Republican Michael D. Byrne 11,566 28.9
Total votes 40,065 100.0
Democratic hold

General Assembly[edit]

27th legislative district general election, 2021[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John F. McKeon (incumbent) 48,489 31.62%
Democratic Mila M. Jasey (incumbent) 47,461 30.95%
Republican Kevin Ryan 28,983 18.90%
Republican Jonathan Sym 28,419 18.53%
Total votes 153,352 100.0
Democratic hold
27th Legislative District General Election, 2019[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John McKeon (incumbent) 26,062 32.6%
Democratic Mila Jasey (incumbent) 25,282 31.63%
Republican Michael Dailey 14,353 17.96%
Republican Mauro Tucci 14,236 17.81%
Total votes 79,933 100%
Democratic hold

Personal life[edit]

McKeon is married to Ann C. Mader, who is also an attorney. They have three daughters: Lacey Ann (McKeon) Rockefeller (born 1988);[23] Melissa McKeon (born 1990) and Jaclyn McKeon (born 1993).[4]

He is a resident of West Orange, New Jersey.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Senator John F. McKeon, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  2. ^ "West Orange Public Invited to Inauguration Ceremony for Mayor McCartney". TAPinto. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "John McKeon Obituary (2002) - Newark, NJ - The Star-Ledger". Legacy.com. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Tribute Archive Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information". www.tributearchive.com. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey - Two Hundred and Eleventh Legislature (First Session) (PDF). Skinder-Strauss Associates. 2004. p. 280. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  6. ^ "Attorney John McKeon". Hardin Kundla McKeon & Poletto. 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  7. ^ "Assemblyman John F. McKeon Bio Page". NJ Assembly Majority Office. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  8. ^ "Attorney Ann Mader-McKeon". Hardin Kundla McKeon & Poletto. 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  9. ^ via Associated Press. "N.J. Lawmakers keep double dipping" Archived 2008-03-25 at the Wayback Machine, WPVI-TV, March 4, 2008. Accessed June 4, 2009.
  10. ^ Bondy, Halley. "New West Orange mayor longtime community activist and councilman", The Star-Ledger, May 13, 2010. Accessed January 17, 2015. "In the Eagle Rock section of town, where mayor-elect Robert Parisi grew up, Colgate Park saw an increase in crime in the early 1990s.... Parisi will be sworn in July 1 as the township’s first new mayor in 12 years to replace state Assembly deputy speaker John McKeon."
  11. ^ Wildstein, Ricky Suta and David (August 24, 2023). "Democrats nominate McKeon to seek Codey's Senate seat". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  12. ^ Fox, Joey (November 8, 2023). "McKeon, Burgess, Ruiz, Timberlake win as Essex Democrats hold four legislative districts". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  13. ^ A3380 New Jersey Health Insurance Market Preservation Act, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "What's your new NJ legislative district? 20% moved on new map", WKXW, February 25, 2022. Accessed January 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Wildstein, David. "McKeon will get Codey’s Senate seat, Brendan Gill will run for Assembly", New Jersey Globe, August 17, 2023. Accessed January 24, 2024. "Democrats have settled on Assemblyman John McKeon (D-West Orange) to replace Richard J. Codey in the State Senate, with Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill (D-Montclair) set to run for the State Assembly, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.... The deal averts a floor fight between McKeon and Gill for the Senate seat of Richard J. Codey, a former governor who announced on Monday that he would retire from the Senate at the end of his current term after 50 years in the New Jersey Legislature."
  16. ^ Connolly, Julio. "NJ election results 2023: State Senate, Assembly seats decided", The Record, November 9, 2023. Accessed December 23, 2023.
  17. ^ Official List Candidates for State Senate for General Election November 7, 2023, New Jersey Department of State, December 6, 2023. Accessed December 23, 2023.
  18. ^ New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  19. ^ Legislative Roster for District 27, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2024.
  20. ^ "Official List, Candidates for State Senate for GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2023 Election" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  21. ^ "New Jersey's 2021 Election Ratings - The Final Rundown". Elections Daily. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  22. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For PRIMARY ELECTION 06/04/2019 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  23. ^ "Lacey McKeon, Steven Rockefeller". The New York Times. April 7, 2019. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  24. ^ Official List Candidates for General Assembly For General Election November 2, 2021, New Jersey Department of State, updated November 30, 2021. Accessed May 10, 2023.

External links[edit]

New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 27th district
2002–present
Served alongside: Mims Hackett, Mila Jasey 		Incumbent
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