Tahesha Way
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Tahesha Leila Way (née Wright; born 1971 or 1972) is an American politician and jurist from New Jersey. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served as the state's third
lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
since 2023, and as its 34th secretary of State since 2018. She was previously a member and director of the
Board of Chosen Freeholders In New Jersey, a Board of County Commissioners (until 2020 named the Board of Chosen Freeholders) is the elected county-wide government board in each of the state's 21 counties. In the five counties that have an elected county executive, the ...
in
Passaic County, New Jersey Passaic County ( or ) is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's eighth-most-populous county,
.


Background

Way grew up in
The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
. She earned her undergraduate degree in English and American literature from
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
and a
Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...
degree from the
University of Virginia School of Law The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law) is the law school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 as part of his "academical village", and now ...
. She worked as a law clerk, a television producer for
Court TV Court TV is an American digital broadcast network and former pay-television channel. It was originally launched in 1991 with a focus on crime-themed programs such as true crime documentary series, legal analysis talk shows, and live news cover ...
, and a literature professor at
Fairleigh Dickinson University Fairleigh Dickinson University () is a private university with its main campuses in New Jersey, located in Madison / Florham Park and in Teaneck / Hackensack. Founded in 1942, Fairleigh Dickinson University offers more than 100 degree prog ...
.Alternative URL
/ref>


Career

Way was admitted to the state bar in 1998. She worked as a lawyer in
Totowa, New Jersey Totowa (pronounced "TO-tuh-wuh" ) is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 11,065, an increase of 261 (+ ...
, and as an
administrative law Administrative law is a division of law governing the activities of government agency, executive branch agencies of government. Administrative law includes executive branch rulemaking (executive branch rules are generally referred to as "regul ...
judge. Way was appointed to the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2006. In December 2017, Governor-elect
Phil Murphy Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American politician, diplomat, and financier serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he was elected governor i ...
selected Way as the next
Secretary of State of New Jersey The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...
. She was sworn in as New Jersey's 34th Secretary of State on February 26, 2018. On September 8, 2023, Murphy appointed Way as
lieutenant governor of New Jersey The lieutenant governor of New Jersey is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the state government of New Jersey in the United States. The lieutenant governor is the second highest-ranking official in the state government ...
, filling the vacancy triggered by the death of
Sheila Oliver Sheila Yvette Oliver (July 14, 1952 – August 1, 2023) was an American politician who served as the second lieutenant governor of New Jersey from 2018 until her death in 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Oliver was the first Black woman ...
. As the lieutenant governor of New Jersey is constitutionally required to simultaneously hold an appointed cabinet position, Way continues to serve as Secretary of State. In July 2024, Way was mentioned as a contender to be appointed by Murphy to replace
Bob Menendez Robert Menendez (; born January 1, 1954) is an American former politician and lawyer who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 2006 until his resignation in 2024. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic ...
in the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
, after Menendez announced that he would resign effective August 20 after being convicted in his corruption trial; Murphy ultimately chose
George Helmy George Samir Helmy (born October 27, 1979) is an American politician who served as a United States senator from New Jersey from August to December 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed by governor Phil Murphy after Senator Bob ...
to take Menendez's seat.


Personal life

Way is married to former
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
running back
Charles Way Charles Christopher Way (born December 27, 1972) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons for the New York Giants. He has been the Second Gentleman of New Je ...
. They have four daughters.


See also

*
List of female lieutenant governors in the United States As of February 17, 2025, there are 22 women currently serving (excluding acting capacity) as lieutenant governors in the United States. Overall, 127 women have served (including acting capacity). Women have been elected lieutenant governor in 40 ...
*
List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States This is a list of minority governors and lieutenant state governors in the United States. In the United States, an ethnic minority is anyone who has at least one parent who is not of non-Hispanic white descent (such as African Americans, Asian Am ...


References


External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Way, Tahesha 1970s births 20th-century African-American lawyers 20th-century African-American women 20th-century American lawyers 21st-century African-American politicians 21st-century African-American women politicians 21st-century American lawyers 21st-century American judges 21st-century New Jersey politicians 21st-century American women politicians African-American judges African-American people in New Jersey politics African-American state cabinet secretaries American women lawyers American women academics Brown University alumni County commissioners in New Jersey Fairleigh Dickinson University faculty Lieutenant governors of New Jersey Living people New Jersey Democrats People from Wayne, New Jersey Politicians from the Bronx Secretaries of state of New Jersey University of Virginia School of Law alumni Year of birth missing (living people)