Mike Pappas
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Mike Pappas | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 12th district | |
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999 | |
Preceded by | Dick Zimmer |
Succeeded by | Rush Holt |
Personal details | |
Born | Michael James Pappas December 29, 1960 New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Residence | Franklin Township, New Jersey |
Alma mater | Seton Hall University (BA) |
Michael James Pappas (born December 29, 1960) is an American politician and former one term Republican congressman from New Jersey, serving from 1997 to 1999. He is currently the Township Administrator in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He was an unsuccessful candidate for State Senator in New Jersey's 16th legislative district in the 2021 and 2023 elections. [1] [2]
Early life and education
[edit]![]() | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (May 2021) |
Pappas, a Greek American, was born in 1960 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Alma Preparatory School in Zarephath, New Jersey, and attended Seton Hall University.
Political career
[edit]He got into politics in the early 1980s, becoming a member of the Franklin Township township council where he served from 1982 to 1987, including two years as mayor. He later would be elected to the Board of Chosen Freeholders for Somerset County, and served from 1984 to 1996, alongside future Governor Christine Todd Whitman, who was also a Freeholder during portions of that time.[3]
Congress
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Mike_Pappas_being_sworn_in_as_a_Member_of_Congress_by_Newt_Gingrich.jpg/220px-Mike_Pappas_being_sworn_in_as_a_Member_of_Congress_by_Newt_Gingrich.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/New_Jersey_Delegation_before_the_Joint_Economic_Committee_Hearing_on_Auto_Insurance_Reform.jpg/220px-New_Jersey_Delegation_before_the_Joint_Economic_Committee_Hearing_on_Auto_Insurance_Reform.jpg)
In 1996, Pappas ran for the House of Representatives in New Jersey's 12th congressional district. The incumbent, Republican Dick Zimmer, gave up his seat to run for the U.S. Senate that year. Pappas won the Republican primary, defeating State Senator John O. Bennett and Assemblyman (and future 7th district Representative) Leonard Lance. He then won the general election against Lambertville Mayor David DelVecchio.
Unlike most New Jersey Republicans, Pappas was a staunch conservative. His congressional service included pushing for a stronger national defense, the elimination of the capital gains tax, advocacy for small business, securing the release of the battleship USS New Jersey to the state of New Jersey as a museum, and resurrecting the controversial "Star Wars" national missile defense.[citation needed]
He was a strong supporter of the impeachment of Bill Clinton, and his infamous singing of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Kenneth Starr" on the House floor[4] contributed to his defeat by Rush Holt in 1998.[5][6]
In 2000, Pappas unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for his old congressional seat, losing a highly contentious primary to the more moderate Zimmer by 62 to 38% margin. Holt narrowly defeated Zimmer in the general election to retain his seat.
Later career
[edit]During the George W. Bush administration, Pappas worked for the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. He moved back to New Jersey in 2009 after Bush's presidency ended.
In June 2016, Pappas was hired as the Borough Administrator of High Bridge, New Jersey.[7] In December 2019, Pappas was named by Bridgewater Mayor-elect Matt Moench to be the municipality's next Township Administrator.[8]
State Senate campaign
[edit]In 2021, Pappas announced that he would be running for the Republican nomination for State Senate in New Jersey's 16th legislative district. The incumbent, Christopher "Kip" Bateman, a moderate Republican who barely won re-election in 2017, decided to retire. The 16th district had previously been a safe Republican district, but after re-districting in 2011, it became a swing district after the removal of Bridgewater and the addition of Princeton. Both of its Assembly seats flipped from red to blue during the 2010s decade. In the early stages of the race, he again competed against Zimmer, who, like Pappas, was also making his first run for political office in over a decade. After Pappas won the organization line for Somerset County, a large part of the 16th district, Zimmer dropped out of the race.[9] Pappas won the Republican primary in June 2021.[10][11][12] He lost the general election to Democrat Andrew Zwicker, the district's state assemblyman in November 2021.
Electoral history
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mike Pappas | 11,069 | 38.1 | |
Republican | John Bennett | 9,894 | 34.0 | |
Republican | Leonard Lance | 7,630 | 26.2 | |
Republican | Luis De Agustin | 481 | 1.7 | |
Total votes | 29,074 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mike Pappas | 135,811 | 50.4 | |
Democratic | David M. Del Vecchio | 125,594 | 46.7 | |
Independent | Virginia A. Flynn | 3,955 | 1.5 | |
Independent | Joseph M. Mercurio | 2,650 | 1.0 | |
Independent | Philip G. Cenicola | 1,211 | 0.4 | |
Total votes | 269,221 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Rush Holt | 92,528 | 50.1 | |
Republican | Mike Pappas | 87,221 | 47.2 | |
Libertarian | Joseph A. Siano | 2,125 | 1.2 | |
Green | Madelyn R. Hoffman | 1,409 | 0.8 | |
Reform | Beverly Kidder | 749 | 0.4 | |
Natural Law | Mary Jo Christian | 578 | 0.3 | |
Total votes | 184,610 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Dick Zimmer | 19,084 | 62.0 | |
Republican | Mike Pappas | 11,692 | 38.0 | |
Total votes | 30,776 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mike Pappas | 7,146 | 64.5 | |
Republican | Jeffrey Grant | 3,934 | 35.5 | |
Total votes | 11,080 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Andrew Zwicker | 41,837 | 53.32 | |
Republican | Mike Pappas | 36,632 | 46.68 | |
Total votes | 78,469 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Andrew Zwicker (incumbent) | 34,693 | 56.5 | |
Republican | Mike Pappas | 25,839 | 42.0 | |
Libertarian | Richard J. Byrne | 922 | 1.5 | |
Total votes | 61,454 | 100.0 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Pappas enters race to challenge Zwicker". 16 November 2022.
- ^ Fox, Joey (2023-11-08). "Zwicker, Freiman, Drulis win, keeping 16th district Democratic after tough campaign". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
- ^ Wildstein, David (February 8, 2021). "Ex-Congressman Pappas mulls State Senate bid for Bateman seat". New Jersey Globe. Sea of Reeds Media. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ Beiler, David. "Twinkle, twinkle Kenneth Starr: how physicist Rush Holt used the Clinton scandal to oust a Republican congressman - includes related article on Rush Holt Sr", Campaigns & Elections, May 1999. Accessed August 6, 2007. "On the occasion of Clinton special prosecutor Ken Starr's 52nd birthday, Pappas decided to commemorate the event in song, on the House floor. Following the melody of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," Pappas crooned (or more accurately, croaked):"
- ^ "The song that changed New Jersey". 13 April 2000.
- ^ Peterson, Iver (5 November 1998). "THE 1998 ELECTIONS: THE REGION -- NEW JERSEY; an Upset is Traced, in Part, to a Partisan Song". The New York Times.
- ^ Staff. "Former Congressman Mike Pappas named new High Bridge administrator", Hunterdon Review, June 23, 2016; accessed August 31, 2016. "The borough has hired Michael Pappas as part-time administrator, replacing the recently exited John Gregory."
- ^ Deak, Mike (December 2, 2019). "Former NJ congressman Mike Pappas named Bridgewater Township administrator". Courier News. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ "Former congressman Mike Pappas will run for State Senate". New Jersey Globe. Sea of Reeds Media. February 17, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "Pappas wins GOP Senate nod in District 16". 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Pappas Wins GOP Nomination for District 16 Senate Race, AP Says". 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Zwicker and Pappas will Face off in General Election for LD 16 State Senate Seat".
- ^ "Official List, Primary Election Returns for the Office of U.S. House of Representatives for Election Held June 4, 1996" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. July 2, 1996. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ^ a b "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
- ^ "Official List, 1998 Election Candidates for House of Representatives" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. August 31, 1998. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ^ "Official List, Candidate Returns for House of Representatives for June 2000 Primary Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. April 17, 2008. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ^ "Official List: Candidates for State Senate for Primary Election 06/08/2021 (PDF)" (PDF). State of New Jersey. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "Official List, Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 06/08/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ "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.
External links
[edit]- Mike Pappas at Ballotpedia
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Official US Congress site (via archive.org)
- 1960 births
- Living people
- American people of Greek descent
- County commissioners in New Jersey
- Mayors of places in New Jersey
- New Jersey city council members
- People from Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
- Politicians from New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey
- Small Business Administration personnel
- 20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey
- 20th-century American legislators
- 21st-century American politicians