Dick LaRossa

Richard Joseph "Dick" LaRossa (born July 1, 1946) is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey Senate, from 1994 to 2000, where he represented the 15th Legislative District.

Early years and education

LaRossa was born and raised in Trenton, where he attended Notre Dame High School.^[1] He received his undergraduate degree from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey), with a major in speech and theater and did graduate work in psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University.^[1] He is the owner of the Computer Services Group.^[2]

Before running for public office, LaRossa was a television personality known for hosting the New Jersey Lottery's weekend drawings from 1980 to 1991, making him what The New York Times described as "arguably one of the most recognizable faces in the state".^[1] A member of both the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Actors' Equity Association, LaRossa had a regular weekend gig as emcee and lead vocalist for an 18-piece swing band called the Lamplighters, billing himself as "the singing Senator".^[1]

Political career

LaRossa ran as a Republican in 1991, having registered with the party only five days before that year's filing deadline. He defeated five-term incumbent Gerald R. Stockman by a narrow 50.9%-49.1% margin to become the first Republican state senator to represent Trenton since 1946.^[1] Democrats had the goal of regaining some of the seats lost in the 1991 Republican landslide. LaRossa faced Stockman for a second time in 1993, with the incumbent receiving endorsements from the AFL-CIO, locals of the Communications Workers of America and the New Jersey State Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.^[3] LaRossa defeated Stockman for a second time in 1993, this time by a margin of 52.3% to 47.7%.^[4] LaRossa served in the Senate as Chair of the Urban Policy and Planning Committee and as a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.^[2] In the 1997 general election, Democrat Shirley Turner defeated LaRossa, making him the only incumbent Republican Senator to lose his seat that year.^[5] In the loss to Turner, LaRossa received 46.1% of the votes to Turner's 53.9%.

In the 1996 New Jersey Republican primary for U.S. Senate, LaRossa came in third with 12%, behind three-term Congressman Dick Zimmer who had 68% of the vote and Passaic County Freeholder Richard DuHaime with 19%.^[6]

References