Sean T. Kean

Sean T. Kean
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 30th district
Assumed office
January 10, 2012
Serving with David Rible
Preceded by Joseph R. Malone
Ronald S. Dancer
Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 11th district
In office
January 8, 2008 – January 10, 2012
Preceded by Joseph A. Palaia
Succeeded by Jennifer Beck
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 11th district
In office
October 28, 2002 – January 8, 2008
Serving with Steve Corodemus
Preceded by Thomas S. Smith
Succeeded by Mary Pat Angelini
David Rible
Personal details
Born (1963-05-21) May 21, 1963
Montclair, New Jersey
Spouse(s) Bridget
Children three
Residence Wall Township, New Jersey
Alma mater Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D.)
Columbia University (M.A.L.S.)
Seton Hall University (B.A.)
Occupation Attorney

Sean T. Kean (born May 21, 1963) is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since being sworn into office on January 10, 2012, representing the 30th legislative district. Prior to redistricting, Kean served in the New Jersey Senate from 2008 to 2012, representing the 11th legislative district. He had previously represented the 11th district in the Assembly from 2002 to 2008.

Biography

Kean was born in Montclair, grew up in Deal and attended Red Bank Catholic High School.[1] He is of Irish heritage and has family ancestry in County Cork.[2][3]

Kean received a B.A. in 1988 from Seton Hall University in Political Science, was granted an M.A.L.S. in 1992 from Columbia University in American Studies and was awarded a J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law in 1995.[1][4] Before becoming an attorney, Kean was a member of the Heavy and General Construction Laborers Local 472 Union (a branch of the Laborers' International Union of North America) in Newark from 1984 until 1988. Kean served as an aide to State Senator John O. Bennett from 1994 through 1996. He served on the Monmouth County Environmental Council from 1999 to 2001 and on the Wall Township Planning Board from 2001 to 2002.[4][1] Prior to 1994, Kean had been registered a Democrat.[5]

Kean is a resident of Wall Township where he lives with his wife Bridget and triplets born in July 2012.[6][7] Kean formerly wrote a column titled "Legislative Matters" in The Coast Star, a weekly local newspaper in Monmouth County. His column typically contains news from the statehouse in Trenton, opinions on issues facing his district, and criticism of the state's Democratic Party.[8]

Legislative career

Kean first took his seat in the Assembly on October 28, 2002, following his selection by the District 11 Republican County Committee members to fill the vacancy created by the death of Assemblyman Thomas S. Smith. Despite not having the endorsement of Monmouth County Republican Chair William F. Dowd and the district's other Assemblyman Steve Corodemus, Kean won the special convention vote winning a majority of the vote (113 votes) on the first ballot defeating Long Branch councilman Anthony Giordano (81 votes) and former Asbury Park mayor Carl Williams (13 votes).[5] He would win election to full two-year terms in 2003 and 2005.

In the Assembly, he was the Assistant Republican Whip from 2004 to 2008. In his first stint in the Assembly, Kean served in the State Government Committee and the Transportation and Public Works Committee.[9]

In 2007, 11th District Senator Joseph A. Palaia opted to retire at the end of his term. Kean sought election to the seat and defeated former professional football player and Assemblyman John Villapiano 63%-37%.[10] During the first two years of his four-year Senate term, he served on the Legislative Services Commission, Labor, and Transportation Committees. In the next two years, he was a member of the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Transportation Committee.[11]

As a result of the 2011 legislative redistricting, Kean's hometown of Wall Township was placed into the 30th Legislative District setting up a potential primary election with fellow Republican Senator Robert Singer. Kean avoided such a fight by instead successfully running for election to the Assembly alongside David Rible (who was one of Kean's Assembly successors).[12] In his current term in the Assembly, he is on the Consumer Affairs and Regulated Professions Committees.[4]

District 30

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 30th Legislative District for the 2014-15 Legislative Session are:[13]

Election history

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
New Jersey General Assembly elections, 2011
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean T. Kean 14,058 34.22
Republican David P. Rible (incumbent) 12,704 30.92
Democratic Howard Kleinhendler 6,451 15.70
Democratic Shaun O'Rourke 7,112 17.31
Republican hold

References

  1. 1 2 3 Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey - Two Hundred and Eleventh Legislature (First Session) (PDF). Skinder-Strauss Associates. 2004. p. 260-261. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  2. ↑ Barrett, Tom (March 8, 2015). "Tom Barrett's 2015 Irish American Leaders from New Jersey". Politicker NJ. Retrieved September 22, 2015. Sean T. Kean. NJ General Assembly/ (R-30) Monmouth County. Traces roots to County Cork, Ireland. 2011 Irishman of the Year/ Order of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh/ Jersey Shore. Sponsor of legislation celebrating Irish-American contributions to American society.
  3. ↑ Pizarro, Max (March 17, 2010). "Sean Kean and the Irish Riviera". Politicker NJ. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Assemblyman Sean T. Kean (R), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 22, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Kornacki, Steve (October 26, 2002). "Kean wins 11th district Assembly seat". PoliticsNJ.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2003. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  6. ↑ Isherwood, Darryl (July 12, 2012). "Congrats to Assemblyman Sean Kean and family". Politicker NJ. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Assemblyman Sean T. Kean". New Jersey Assembly Republicans. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  8. ↑ Kean, Sean T. (April 17, 2008). "Delegates are the key to winning primary nomination". Legislative Matters - The Coast Star. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  9. ↑ Assemblyman Kean's Legislative Website, New Jersey Legislature. From Internet Archive backup taken June 15, 2007. Accessed January 13, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Sean Kean wins Senate seat in 11th District race". Atlanticville. November 21, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Senator Sean T. Kean (R)". New Jersey Legislature. Archived from the original on April 6, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  12. ↑ Friedman, Matt (April 5, 2011). "N.J. Sen. Kean plans to run for Assembly seat under new legislative district map". NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  13. ↑ Legislative Roster 2014-2015 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed August 12, 2012.

External links

New Jersey Senate
Preceded by
Joseph A. Palaia		 Member of the New Jersey Senate for the 11th District
January 8, 2008 – January 10, 2012 		Succeeded by
Jennifer Beck
New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by
Joseph R. Malone
Ronald S. Dancer		 Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 30th District
January 10, 2012 – present
With: David Rible		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Thomas S. Smith		 Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 11th District
October 28, 2002 – January 8, 2008
With: Steve Corodemus		 Succeeded by
Mary Pat Angelini
David Rible
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