Barbara Wright McConnell (October 5, 1936 – October 21, 2016) was an American Democratic Party politician from

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, who served in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

from 1978 to 1982 and in the cabinet of former Governor

James Florio James Joseph Florio (August 29, 1937 – September 25, 2022) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 49th governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994. He was previously the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional dist ...

Biography

McConnell was born Barbara Wright, daughter of Carson and Mildred Wright, in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

. She grew up in

Livingston, Tennessee Livingston is a town in Overton County, Tennessee, Overton County, Tennessee, United States, and serves as the county seat. The population was 3,905 at the 2020 census and 4,058 at the 2010 census. The current mayor, Lori Elder Burnette , Livings ...

, graduating from Livingston Academy. In 1955, she was selected Miss Putnam County and competed in the

Miss Tennessee The Miss Tennessee competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss America Scholarship Competition. Carley Jaymes Vogel of Murfreesboro was crowned Miss Tennessee 2024 on June 22, 2024, at the M ...

pageant. She earned a B.S. degree in 1957 from Tennessee Polytechnic Institute (now

Tennessee Technological University Tennessee Technological University (commonly referred to as Tennessee Tech) is a Public university, public research university in Cookeville, Tennessee. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, and before that as University of D ...

). After graduating from college, she married Terry McConnell, who worked for the

United States Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency in the United States Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark ...

. After moving with her husband to

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, McConnell worked for U.S. Rep. Joe L. Evins, first as a secretary and then as an administrative assistant. When her husband accepted an offer to work with a bank in New Jersey, they moved to Delaware Township outside

Flemington, New Jersey Flemington is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in and the county seat of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

in a district usually dominated by Republicans. While serving in the Assembly, McConnell worked on legislation to combat discrimination against women by lending institutions, as well as legislation helping to protect women against domestic violence. She served as president of the board of the

Hunterdon County Hunterdon County is a County (United States), county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, 4th-least populous ...

volunteer organization Women's Crisis Services, now known as SAFE in Hunterdon. In 1981, McConnell gave up her seat in the Assembly to run in the Democratic primary for

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...

. In a crowded race, she finished with only 3% of the vote, well behind the front-runner James Florio. Florio lost in the general election to

Thomas Kean Thomas Howard Kean ( ; born April 21, 1935) is an American politician, statesman, and academic administrator from the state of New Jersey. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, Kean served two terms as the 48th governor of New Jersey f ...

but later served a term as governor from 1990 to 1994. After her defeat in the gubernatorial race, McConnell served as president of the New Jersey Food Council, a lobbying group representing the food industry. She returned to public service ten years later in the Florio administration, when she was appointed as New Jersey Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development. She was the first woman to serve in this position. Following the end of Governor Florio's term of office in January 1994, McConnell again worked as a lobbyist, establishing the McConnell Group to represent the interests of several large companies and organizations, including Coca-Cola Bottling Co. She continued to reside in Delaware Township. She died following hip surgery on October 21, 2016, in

Raritan Township, New Jersey Raritan Township is a Township (New Jersey), township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 23,447, an increase of 1,262 (+5.7%) f ...

at age 80.

References

External links

Biography of Barbara McConnell
in
Josephine's Journal
''The Overton County News,''

. Accessed March 10, 2008.
Women Leaders M-P

''New Jersey Insider''
Accessed March 10, 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:McConnell, Barbara 1936 births 2016 deaths Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly People from Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey People from Livingston, Tennessee Politicians from Hunterdon County, New Jersey State cabinet secretaries of New Jersey Tennessee Technological University alumni Women state legislators in New Jersey 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American women 20th-century members of the New Jersey Legislature