Christopher J. Connors (born June 26, 1956) is a

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 ...

Republican Party politician, who served in the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

from January 8, 2008 to January 9, 2024, where he represented the 9th Legislative District. He served in the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

from January 9, 1990 to January 8, 2008.

Early life

Born in

Ridgewood, New Jersey Ridgewood is a Village (New Jersey), village in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Ridgewood is a suburban commuter town, bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown M ...

on June 26, 1956, Connors graduated from

Southern Regional High School Southern Regional High School is a regional comprehensive public high school located in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in the ninth through twelfth grades and ope ...

. He received a B.S. degree in 1978 from Stockton State College (now

Stockton University Stockton University is a public university in Galloway Township, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. It is named for Richard Stockton, one of the New Jersey signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence ...

) in

Business Administration Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. Overview The administration of a business includes the performance o ...

, an M.P.A. in 1988 from

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

Public Administration Public administration, or public policy and administration refers to "the management of public programs", or the "translation of politics into the reality that citizens see every day",Kettl, Donald and James Fessler. 2009. ''The Politics of the ...

and was awarded a J.D. in 1995 from the

Rutgers School of Law - Camden Rutgers Law School is the law school of Rutgers University, with classrooms in Newark and Camden, New Jersey. It is the largest public law school and the 10th largest law school, overall, in the United States. Each class in the three-year J.D. pr ...

in Camden.Senator Christopher J. Connors

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

. Accessed February 22, 2022. He resides in the

Forked River Forked River () is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Lacey Township, in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

section of Lacey Township. Connors is an attorney and is a partner at Dasti, Murphy, McGuckin, Ulaky, Koutsouris & Connors.

Early Political Career

The son of Leonard T. Connors, he grew up in

Surf City, New Jersey Surf City is a Borough (New Jersey), borough situated on the Jersey Shore in southern Ocean County, New Jersey, Ocean County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,243, an increa ...

and gained his first exposure to politics as a child while helping his father run for city council. He moved to

Toms River The Toms River is a freshwater river and estuary in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The river rises in the Pine Barrens of northern Ocean County, then flows southeast and east, where it is fed by several tributaries, and flows in a ...

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". Connors served on the Lacey Township Committee from 1985 to 1990 and was Mayor of Lacey Township from 1986 to 1989. 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 A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

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 ...

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. 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 The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure ...

from 1982 to 2008. In January 2023, Connors announced that he would not be a candidate for reelection after 33 years of service in the New Jersey Legislature.Larsen, Erik; and Davis, Mike
"Christopher Connors not seeking reelection to NJ Senate"
''

Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...

'', 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."

Electoral history

Senate

Assembly

References

External links

Senator Christoper Connors's Official SiteSenator Connors' Legislative Website

*''New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms''
201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004Senator Christopher J. Connors

Project Vote Smart Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is an American non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. It covers candidates and elected offic ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Connors, Christopher J. 1956 births Living people Mayors of places in New Jersey New Jersey city council members Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Republican Party New Jersey state senators People from Lacey Township, New Jersey People from Ridgewood, New Jersey People from Surf City, New Jersey People from Toms River, New Jersey Politicians from Ocean County, New Jersey Southern Regional High School alumni Stockton University alumni Rutgers School of Law–Camden alumni 20th-century members of the New Jersey Legislature 20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey 21st-century members of the New Jersey Legislature