Helen Stevenson Meyner

Helen Day Stevenson Meyner, also known as Helen S. Meyner (March 5, 1929 – November 2, 1997) was a Democratic U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1975 to 1979.

Biography

She was born as Helen Stevenson on March 5, 1929 in Queens, New York. Her father was an Olympic gold medal winner and ambassador William Stevenson. She was a distant cousin of Democratic candidate for President Adlai Stevenson.

She graduated from Colorado College and married New Jersey Governor Robert B. Meyner.

In 1972, Meyner ran as the Democratic nominee for Representative from New Jersey's newly redistricted 13th Congressional District that included her home in Phillipsburg and included Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren Counties and portions of Mercer and Morris Counties.[1] She lost in the Republican-leaning district, to the Republican candidate, Joseph J. Maraziti. In 1974, with the Watergate scandal leading to Democratic congressional gains throughout the country, Meyner ran for the seat again, this time beating Maraziti. She won a second term in the 1976 elections in a close race against William E. Schluter, but lost her bid for a third term in 1978 to Republican James A. Courter.[2]

Meyner's work before entering politics included a career as a print and television journalist and work for the American Red Cross.

She died on November 2, 1997 in Fort Myers, Florida.

References

  1. ^ "Wally Edge" "In memory of Don Herche, the story of Helen Meyner's campaign against Joe Maraziti", PolitickerNJ.com, November 25, 2008. Accessed August 4, 2009. "Maraziti drew what became known as the Maraziti district...a new seat in northwestern New Jersey that included Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren counties, part of Morris, and a small part of western Mercer."
  2. ^ Halbfinger, David M. "Ex-Rep. Helen S. Meyner, 69; Born Into Democratic Politics", The New York Times, November 3, 1997. Accessed March 14, 2011. "In 1972, Democratic Party leaders asked her to run for Congress from the Meyner family home in Phillipsburg, in the heavily Republican 13th Congressional District in Sussex and Morris Counties."

Sources

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Joseph J. Maraziti
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 13th congressional district

1975–1979
Succeeded by
James A. Courter