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Richard Codey
Codey in 2011
53rd Governor of New Jersey
In office
November 15, 2004 – January 17, 2006
Preceded byJim McGreevey
Succeeded byJon Corzine
In office
January 12, 2002 – January 15, 2002
Acting
Preceded byJohn O. Bennett (acting)
Succeeded byJim McGreevey
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 27th district
In office
January 10, 1982 – January 9, 2024
Preceded byCarmen A. Orechio
Succeeded byJohn F. McKeon
111th and 113th President of the New Jersey Senate
In office
January 8, 2008 – January 12, 2010
Preceded byBernard Kenny
Succeeded byStephen Sweeney
In office
January 8, 2002 – January 7, 2008
Co-Presidency with John Bennett until January 13, 2004
Preceded byDonald DiFrancesco
Succeeded byBernard Kenny
Minority Leader of the New Jersey Senate
In office
January 13, 1998 – January 8, 2002
Preceded byJohn A. Lynch Jr.
Succeeded byLeonard Lance
(2004)
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 26th district
In office
January 8, 1974 – January 12, 1982
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byLeanna Brown
Dean Gallo
Personal details
Born
Richard James Codey

(1946-11-27) November 27, 1946 (age 78)
Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
​
(m. 1981)​
EducationFairleigh Dickinson University (BA)

Richard James Codey (born November 27, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 53rd governor of New Jersey from 2004 to 2006. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the New Jersey Senate from 1982 to 2024 and as the President of the Senate from 2002 to 2010. He represented the 27th Legislative District, which covered the western portions of Essex County and the southeastern portion of Morris County.

Codey is the longest-serving state legislator in New Jersey history, having served in the New Jersey Legislature continuously from January 8, 1974 to January 9, 2024.[1]

Early life and education

Codey's wife and former New Jersey First Lady, Mary Jo Codey

Codey has described himself as "100% Irish".[2]

Codey grew up in his family's funeral home in Orange. He attended Our Lady of the Valley High School and transferred to Orange High School before switching to Oratory Preparatory School in Summit, from which he graduated.[3][4][5]

Codey took over his father's job as a licensed funeral director. When his father, Donald, became the county coroner, Codey was drafted to help with death scene pickups. Codey remembered, "I was 14, taking bodies out of train wrecks. You grow up quick".[6]

In 1981, he earned a bachelor's degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University.[7]

New Jersey Assembly

Codey left the funeral trade to try his hand in politics in 1973 when he was first elected to the State Assembly, with Eldridge Hawkins as his running mate.[8] He served in the Assembly from 1974 to 1982.

New Jersey Senate

Codey was first elected to the State Senate in 1981.[9] He rose through the ranks to become Senate President. He first ascended to that post in 2002 and remained in it until 2010. He served on the Legislative Services Commission.[10] Codey also has a hockey arena named in his honor, also known as South Mountain Arena in West Orange, New Jersey.

Return to Senate service

Codey in October 2008

Codey became acting governor of New Jersey upon the resignation of Jim McGreevey on November 15, 2004.[11] He served the remainder of McGreevey's unexpired term, remaining governor until January 17, 2006.[12]

Instead of running for a full term as governor, Codey was re-elected to the New Jersey Senate in 2007.[13]

In 2009, Codey "was ousted from the Senate president post in a deal brokered by South Jersey Democratic Party leader George E. Norcross III, the state's most powerful unelected Democrat and Codey's arch political enemy for years".[1]

In December 2016, Codey was one of several Catholic legislators who supported legislation legalizing assisted suicide.[14]

Governor of New Jersey

2002

Following Governor Christine Todd Whitman's resignation in 2001 to become head of the EPA, Codey was one of three different senate presidents (along with Donald DiFrancesco and John O. Bennett, as well as Attorney General John Farmer) to serve as acting governor within the one-year period between Whitman's resignation and Jim McGreevey's inauguration in January 2002. DiFrancesco served as acting governor for all but the last week of this period, until his term as senate president ended. As attorney general, Farmer then served as acting governor for ninety minutes, until the election of Bennett and Codey as co-presidents of the senate. The latter two then divided the last week of the term between them, with Codey serving for three days, from January 12, 2002, to January 15, 2002, leading to a situation in which the state had five different people serving as governor during a period of eight days (DiFrancesco, Farmer, Bennett, Codey, and McGreevey).[15]

2004 to 2006

Codey became acting governor again with the resignation of Jim McGreevey on November 15, 2004.[11] According to the New Jersey State Constitution at the time, in the event of a vacancy in the governor's office, the President of the State Senate took on the additional position of acting governor until the next gubernatorial election.

On June 6, 2005, Codey announced revised nutrition guidelines for all state funded public and private schools, eliminating soda, candy, and other products with sugar as the leading ingredient from cafeteria offerings. The law became effective on September 1, 2007.[16]

With the passage on November 8, 2005, of a constitutional amendment creating the position of lieutenant governor to take effect with the 2009 election, Codey became the last person to serve simultaneously as governor and senate president.[17][18]

On January 9, 2006, Codey became governor (no longer acting governor) as a result of his signing legislation that provided that a person who serves as acting governor for a continuous period of at least 180 days will be "Governor of the State of New Jersey" for official and historical purposes. This law was made retroactive to 2001, covering both Codey's service after McGreevey's resignation and the service of Donald DiFrancesco following the resignation of Governor Christine Todd Whitman in 2001. This made DiFrancesco New Jersey's 51st governor and Codey the 53rd.[19]

Codey appointed Mary Jane Cooper to be New Jersey's first-ever Inspector General, a position created to root out waste and mismanagement in government. Codey added $7 million in new funding to agencies devoted to public accountability, per the recommendations that resulted from an audit of state ethics codes that he commissioned. In March 2005, Codey cracked down on pay to play when he signed a law banning campaign contributions by businesses holding state contracts in several circumstances.[20]

As governor, Codey championed a bill to ban smoking from indoor spaces in the state, more money for stem cell research, increased funding for mental health, and sports. Codey created a task force to recommend ways to end steroid abuse in high school and college sports in the state. The task force established drug testing for high school athletes on teams that play in the championships, with the state paying for the drug testing program.[21] He also successfully negotiated for MetLife Stadium, which was constructed jointly by the New York Giants and New York Jets.[22]

In December 2005, Codey announced he was not accepting a new state slogan recommended by the State Commerce Department, following a study by a marketing consultant, which was paid for by the state. He said he felt the slogan "We'll win you over" made the state seem desperate.[23] Governor Codey openly solicited slogan suggestions from citizens and then choose five finalists, which he opened to a vote from the public. Days prior to leaving the governor's office, Codey announced the winner: "New Jersey: Come See for Yourself".[24]

Shortly before leaving the governor's office, Codey signed the first legislative moratorium on capital punishment enacted by any state in the nation.[25] The moratorium ended with the permanent ban of capital punishment by Codey's successor, Jon Corzine.

Codey served the remainder of McGreevey's unexpired term, remaining governor until January 17, 2006.[12]

Cabinet

  • Virginia Bauer, Secretary of Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism
  • George Hayman, Acting Commissioner of Corrections (as of January 3, 2006)
  • Donald Bryan, Acting Commissioner of Banking and Insurance
  • Peter Cammarano, Chief of staff to the governor
  • Bradley Campbell, Commissioner of Environmental Protection
  • Thomas Carver, Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development (until October 2005)
  • James Davy, Commissioner of Human Services
  • Lucille Davy, Acting Commissioner of Education (from September 2005)
  • Paul Fader, Chief Counsel to the governor
  • Jeanne Fox, President of the Board of Public Utilities
  • Col. Joseph Fuentes, Superintendent of the State Police
  • Peter C. Harvey, State Attorney General
  • Dr. Fred Jacobs, Commissioner of Health and Senior Services
  • Charles Kuperus, Secretary of Agriculture
  • John Lettiere, Commissioner of Transportation
  • Susan Bass Levin, Commissioner of Community Affairs (until June 2005)
  • William Librera, Commissioner of Education (until September 2005)
  • John McCormac, State Treasurer
  • Charles Richman, Acting Commissioner of Community Affairs (from June 2005)
  • Major Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, Adjutant General
  • A.J. Sabath, Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development (from October 2005)
  • Seema Singh, Ratepayer Advocate
  • Regena Thomas, Secretary of State of New Jersey
  • Rolando Torres, Commissioner of Personnel

2007

On April 12, 2007, Codey became Acting Governor of New Jersey when Corzine was incapacitated due to serious injuries suffered in a car accident that day. Codey became acting governor since New Jersey did not have the position of lieutenant governor until after the 2009 election.[26] Corzine resumed his duties as governor on May 7, 2007.

Public opinion summary

As Codey prepared to leave the governor's office, a January 2006 study showed that 48% of voters said the state was "on the wrong track", while 34% said it was headed in the right direction. However, though voters had a negative view of the direction of state, their view of Gov. Codey was strongly positive. In that same study, 68% of voters who recognized Gov. Codey had a favorable opinion of him and the pollsters noted that the outgoing governor had "an impressive 5:1 ratio of favorable to unfavorable opinion".[27]

The Obama administration approached Codey in 2009 to consider running for governor in Corzine's place if the incumbent withdrew from his reelection bid, citing polls showing that Codey led Republican Chris Christie. Corzine remained in the race and lost to Christie.[28]

Even after being out of the governor's office for over five years, Codey continued to make headlines as a prospective candidate for that office. In a FDU PublicMind Poll released September 27, 2011, voters were asked "If you could pick a Democrat to run against Chris Christie for governor, who would you prefer?" Richard Codey came up as the most adequate candidate at 18% among other well-known Democrats like Cory Booker and Frank Pallone.[29]

Personal life

Codey is married to Mary Jo Codey. The Codeys have two sons, Kevin and Chris.[30]

Electoral history

New Jersey Senate

New Jersey general election, 2021[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 50,604 64.87
Republican Adam Kraemer 27,409 35.13
Total votes 78,013 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 43,066 69.7 Increase 10.4
Republican Pasquale Capozzoli 18,720 30.3 Decrease 10.4
Total votes 61,786 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2013
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 34,291 59.3 Decrease 2.5
Republican Lee S. Holtzman 23,581 40.7 Increase 2.5
Total votes 57,872 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 27,089 61.8
Republican William H. Eames 16,741 38.2
Total votes 43,830 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 23,631 78.8 Increase 13.0
Republican Joseph A. Fischer 6,368 21.2 Decrease 13.0
Total votes 29,999 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2003
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 17,220 65.8 Increase 1.1
Republican Bobbi Joan Bennett 8,958 34.2 Increase 1.4
Total votes 26,178 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2001
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 35,237 64.7
Republican Jared Silverman 17,871 32.8
African-Americans For Justice Donald Page 1,359 2.5
Total votes 54,467 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 35,770 79.5 Increase 4.4
Republican Richard R. Klattenberg 9,250 20.5 Decrease 4.4
Total votes 45,020 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1993
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 33,138 75.1 Increase 7.0
Republican Dr. Zal Velez 10,979 24.9 Decrease 7.0
Total votes 44,117 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1991
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 19,677 68.1
Republican Eugene J. Byrne 9,202 31.9
Total votes 28,879 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1987
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 17,064 76.4 Increase 1.2
Republican Felix Graziano 5,270 23.6 Decrease 1.2
Total votes 22,334 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1983
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 18,943 75.2 Increase 1.3
Republican James J. Brown 6,255 24.8 Decrease 1.3
Total votes 25,198 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1981
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Codey 30,403 73.9
Republican Richard E. Koehler 10,737 26.1
Total votes 41,140 100.0

New Jersey Assembly

New Jersey general election, 1979
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 14,320 36.1 Decrease 0.2
Democratic Mildred Barry Garvin (Incumbent) 12,910 32.5 Decrease 0.7
Republican Leonard P. Messina Sr. 6,079 15.3 Decrease 0.8
Republican Timothy A. Gaylord Jr. 5,143 13.0 Decrease 0.4
U.S. Labor Janet C. Mandel 479 1.2 Increase 1.0
Libertarian Richard S. Roth 445 1.1 Increase 0.8
U.S. Labor Lynne Speed 320 0.8 Increase 0.6
Total votes 39,696 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 25,605 36.3 Increase 0.4
Democratic Mildred Barry Garvin 23,430 33.2 Increase 0.1
Republican Daniel Di Benedetto 11,322 16.1 Increase 1.7
Republican Jeffrey A. Gerson 9,484 13.4 Decrease 0.2
Libertarian Katherine E. Florentine 242 0.3 Decrease 1.4
Libertarian Richard S. Roth 204 0.3 N/A
U.S. Labor Lynne Speed 127 0.2 Decrease 1.2
U.S. Labor Dennis Speed 117 0.2 N/A
Total votes 70,531 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1975
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Richard Codey (Incumbent) 22,618 35.9 Increase 0.2
Democratic Eldridge Hawkins (Incumbent) 20,830 33.1 Steady 0.0
Republican Conrad N. Koch 9,069 14.4 Decrease 2.1
Republican Raymond Findley Jr. 8,563 13.6 Decrease 1.1
Libertarian Kenneth R. Kaplan 1,069 1.7 N/A
U.S. Labor Kenneth Mandel 852 1.4 N/A
Total votes 63,001 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1973
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Codey 30,282 35.7
Democratic Eldridge Hawkins 28,102 33.1
Republican John F. Trezza 13,978 16.5
Republican Monroe Jay Lustbader 12,502 14.7
Total votes 84,864 100.0

References

  1. ^ a b O'Neill, James M.; and Stile, Charles. "Sen. Richard Codey, NJ's longest-serving legislator and a former governor, is retiring", The Record, August 14, 2023. Accessed August 16, 2023. "Former governor and state Sen. Richard J. Codey, the longest-serving legislator in New Jersey history, who held the top post for a 14-month period, announced he will be stepping down after 50 years of service. He said he will finish out the Senate term this year and then retire."
  2. ^ Rible/Rumana want Thomas Nast off NJ Hall of Fame ballot, New Jersey Assembly Republicans, December 14, 2011. Accessed March 5, 2012. "State Sen. Richard Codey, a former governor who proudly described himself as '100% Irish,' was less quick to judge. 'No one hates a stereotype more than me,' he said. 'But it seems that [Nast] just went along with the thinking of the time. I don't think he should be crucified for that.'"
  3. ^ Codey, Richard J. Me, Governor?: My Life in the Rough-and-tumble World of New Jersey Politics, p. 28. Accessed December 3, 2017. "From Saint John's, I went to Our Lady of the Valley High School until my father and the priests agreed that my clowning might be better appreciated elsewhere. Throwing frogs around a biology class with some friends was my final act as a student at the Valley."
  4. ^ Golway, Terry. "On Politics; The Bishops, in Codey, Have a New Target", The New York Times, November 14, 2004. Accessed January 24, 2022. "He is a graduate of Oratory Prep in Summit, and his wife, Mary Jo, attended Caldwell College and Seton Hall, all Catholic institutions."
  5. ^ Bergmann, Randy. "Former governor pulls few punches in book", Courier-Post, June 5, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "He speaks with candor and humor about his academic shortcomings. He attended three high schools, all beginning with the letter 'O' Orange, Our Lady of the Valley and Oratory. (He says his father wanted him to be true to his Irish heritage.)"
  6. ^ Richard J. Codey NNDB Biography
  7. ^ "Richard Codey, BA,'81, H'05". FDU Office of University Advancement.
  8. ^ Edge, Wally (January 7, 2008). "The one that starts in the 1960s and ends with Codey". PolitickerNJ. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  9. ^ "Dick Codey's Finest Hour - Insider NJ".
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference NJLEG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b Mansnerus, Laura; Beston, Josh (November 16, 2004). "Transition Ends: A Quiet Goodbye for McGreevey". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 28, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Wildstein, David (February 7, 2022). "Is Murphy really New Jersey's 56th governor? We have no color on that". New Jersey Globe.
  13. ^ Murphy, Dan (November 7, 2007). "27th District: Codey wins easily". NJ.com.
  14. ^ Alex, Patricia. "Catholic lawmakers support assisted suicide despite faith", The Record, December 13, 2016. Accessed July 15, 2019. "State Sen. Richard Codey was raised in an apartment upstairs from his family’s funeral home next to an imposing Catholic church in Orange, where the parish, the business and the family were intertwined.... Nonetheless, Codey and other prominent Catholic legislators are breaking with the church in supporting a bill that would allow assisted suicide in New Jersey."
  15. ^ Staff. "N.J.'S LINE OF SUCCESSION / A SIMPLE FIX", The Press of Atlantic City, November 11, 2002. accessed June 22, 2012. "Thanks to an unusual set of circumstances and a flaw in the state constitution, New Jersey had five different governors over eight days at the beginning of the year. Even for New Jersey, this was pretty bizarre."
  16. ^ Holl, John (June 7, 2005). "School Policy in New Jersey to Take Junk Off Lunch Tray". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  17. ^ Benson, Josh (October 25, 2005). "New Jersey, Used to Having Governors Leave Early, Considers Need for a Lieutenant". The New York Times. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  18. ^ O'Neill, James M.; Stile, Charles (August 14, 2023). "Sen. Richard Codey, NJ's longest-serving legislator and a former governor, is retiring". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  19. ^ Jones, Richard Lezin. "Worth Noting; How Many Governors Does It Take?", The New York Times, January 22, 2006. Accessed January 24, 2022.
  20. ^ "Codey Signs Pay-To-Play Ban into Law" (Press release). Office of the Governor of New Jersey. March 22, 2005.
  21. ^ Editorial. "The Record: Fighting steroid abuse", The Record, March 15, 2010. Accessed June 22, 2012. "Codey's bill would require the state Department of Education and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to randomly test athletes taking part in championship tournaments."
  22. ^ Belson, Ken. "In East Rutherford, N.J., New Football Stadium, but at Whose Cost?", The New York Times, October 10, 2009. Accessed June 24, 2012. "That deal was brokered by Richard J. Codey, the president of the State Senate, who was then acting governor. The agreement broke a logjam among critics on the authority's board who thought the teams were getting a sweetheart deal."
  23. ^ Kelly, Mike. "A sitcom: Slogan's zeroes". The Record, November 1, 2005, accessed April 15, 2007, "Acting Governor Codey could barely contain his disappointment with the proposed "We'll win you over" slogan. Too negative, he complained as he ordered a rewrite. It seems the line caused Codey to recall a desperate moment from his bachelor days, when he asked a hard-to-get woman for a date. She said no, but Codey pleaded for just one date so he could win her over."
  24. ^ Codey Announces Winning State Tourism Slogan, press release dated January 12, 2006, accessed April 15, 2007. "Governor Richard J. Codey today revealed the people's choice for the state's new tourism slogan: 'New Jersey: Come See for Yourself'."
  25. ^ via Reuters. "New Jersey lawmakers approved moratorium on capital punishment", Toledo Blade, January 10, 2006. Accessed June 24, 2012.
  26. ^ David Kocieniewski and David W. Chen, "New Jersey Governor Is Injured in Car Crash", The New York Times, April 13, 2007.
  27. ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, (January 12, 2006).Corzine Has Tough Acts to Follow (press release)
  28. ^ Margolin, Joshua. "Gov. Corzine's N.J. re-election bid nearly abandoned as White House concerns grew" The Star-Ledger, November 4, 2009.
  29. ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, (September 27, 2011). Christie Approvals Bounce Back (press release)
  30. ^ Livio, Susan (November 20, 2013). "Sen. Richard Codey and wife, Mary Jo, announce Codey Fund for Mental Health". NJ.com.
  31. ^ "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.
New Jersey General Assembly
New constituency Member of the New Jersey Assembly
from the 26th district
1974–1982
Served alongside: Eldridge Hawkins, Mildred Barry Garvin 		Succeeded by
New Jersey Senate
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 27th district
1982–2024 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by President of the New Jersey Senate
2002–2008
Served alongside: John Bennett (2002–2004) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the New Jersey Senate
2008–2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of New Jersey
Acting
2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of New Jersey
2004–2006 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former Governor Order of precedence of the United States Succeeded byas Former Governor
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