145-522: Frank Raleigh Lautenberg ( / ˈ l ɔː t ən b ɜːr ɡ / ; January 23, 1924 – June 3, 2013) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as United States Senator from New Jersey from 1982 to 2001, and again from 2003 until his death in 2013. He was originally from Paterson, New Jersey . Lautenberg was elected five terms as Senator. He first took office in December 1982 and served three terms, retiring from
290-467: A Mercer County Freeholder from Princeton and the daughter of late House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and Congresswoman Lindy Boggs . Sigmund campaigned for the newly drawn 7th congressional district for much of the spring, but joined the Senate race after being recruited by Democratic Congressmen Robert A. Roe , James J. Howard , and William J. Hughes . She announced her campaign just one hour before
435-664: A Soviet pipeline, expressing sympathy for " Solidarity and Polish dissidents" but saying that the sanctions "cost[] jobs in the United States." Fenwick described Lautenberg's performance in the fifth debate as "kind of pathetic." The sixth and final debate was held on October 31 and "reflected both the apparent closeness of the race and the acrimony that has often marked its final stages." Fenwick emphasized her image and character, and again criticized Lautenberg's campaign as outrageously deceptive. Lautenberg defending his campaign spending as "highlight[ing] her record" and attacked
580-439: A Spanish-language channel. On October 31, after the final debate, Lautenberg campaigned with former Vice President Walter Mondale and Second Lady Joan Mondale . Early polling indicated a large lead for Fenwick, as much as 18 percentage points. However, this polling narrowed considerably by the end of October. Public polls showed Lautenberg had pulled even or ahead. Nevertheless, Fenwick's campaign said internal polling gave her
725-431: A chair. County, town, city, and ward committees generally are composed of individuals elected at the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions, and in some cases primaries or caucuses, and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under state law. Rarely do they have much direct funding, but in 2005 DNC Chairman Dean began
870-700: A de jure freeze, arguing that a de facto freeze already existed. Morris also supported a sharp increase in military spending to deter Soviet expansion into the Middle East and Western Hemisphere and proposed American intervention in the Falklands War to force both Argentina and the United Kingdom to withdraw, citing the Monroe Doctrine . He also challenged New York City mayor Ed Koch , then running for Governor, to swim from Manhattan to
1015-458: A fall in his Cliffside Park, New Jersey , home shortly after returning from a Haiti trip with a 12-member congressional delegation. He was released from the hospital on February 25, 2010. Six to eight chemotherapy treatments of the intensive R-CHOP regimen followed every 21 days over several months, and a doctor for Lautenberg at the time said a full recovery was expected. Lautenberg continued his Senate work between treatments. On June 26, 2010,
1160-588: A few days left in his appointed term, resigned on December 27, 1982, allowing Lautenberg to take office several days before the traditional swearing-in of senators, which gave him an edge in seniority over the other freshman senators. In his first term, Lautenberg pushed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act , which was passed in 1984. The same year, he spoke at the Democratic National Convention , though he
1305-547: A key part of the bipartisan conservative coalition in an alliance with most of the Midwestern Republicans. The economically activist philosophy of Franklin D. Roosevelt, which has strongly influenced American liberalism , shaped much of the party's economic agenda after 1932. From the 1930s to the mid-1960s, the liberal New Deal coalition usually controlled the presidency while the conservative coalition usually controlled Congress. Issues facing parties and
1450-495: A lead of no less than 5 percentage points and as much as 7. An October survey by the Eagleton Institute of Politics found that six out of seven undecided voters said that Fenwick's sex made no difference and one in ten said they would be more likely to vote for Fenwick because she was a woman. Sixty percent of all voters said sex made no difference, while 26 percent said they preferred a female and 14 percent preferred
1595-417: A letter upon meeting with Arab American Institute representatives. On February 14, 2013, Lautenberg announced he would not seek re-election. In the press conference, Lautenberg joked "Is it too late to change my mind?" and joked that he would pray "something goes wrong" so he could be called on to run again. At the time of his death from viral pneumonia at age 89, Lautenberg was the oldest serving senator and
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#17327754122251740-479: A lot of obituaries are going to be written for Reaganomics ." Bell's campaign may have been undercut when President Reagan blamed the federal budget deficit for high inflation, thereby endorsing Fenwick's economic platform, though not the candidate herself. Both Bell and Fenwick supported a freeze on nuclear weapons contingent on the United States surpassing the Soviet Union 's arsenal, while Morris opposed
1885-797: A male. The second debate, sponsored by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the Birchwood Manor on October 3, centered on economic issues. Fenwick criticized Lautenberg for claiming to have created 16,000 jobs, most of which she said were created by acquisitions . Lautenberg denied this and said his business was created by "hard work." Lautenberg referred to Fenwick's congressional and legislative voting record as "anti-job," criticizing her vote to cut federally underwritten college loans. Fenwick criticized Lautenberg's support of an "American-made" bill that she said would cost 15,000 American jobs. The candidates also disagreed over
2030-563: A meeting with Democratic senators in 1999, and Torricelli responded by shouting, "You're a fucking piece of shit, and I'm going to cut your balls off!" Lautenberg was also less than enthusiastic at the prospect of fundraising for a grueling campaign, and did not want to have to spend more of his own money. He announced his retirement in 2000, but denied it was because he thought he would lose to Whitman or Kean, saying that he had been vulnerable in previous elections, and, "Mr. Vulnerable always wins." His fellow Democrat and businessman, Jon Corzine ,
2175-576: A member of the President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism (PCAST), which was set up in September 1989 to review and report on aviation security policy in light of the sabotage of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988. After Boris Perchatkin ’s speeches in the US Congress in 1989 along with Representative Bruce Morrison , Lautenberg was a primary sponsor of what became known as
2320-617: A more conservative direction following the presidency of Ronald Reagan , the election of Bill Clinton marked a move for the party toward the Third Way , moving the party's economic stance towards market-based economic policy. Barack Obama oversaw the party's passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. During his and Joe Biden 's presidency, the party has adopted an increasingly progressive economic agenda and more left-wing views on cultural and social issues . In
2465-562: A place on one of Richard Nixon 's enemies lists . In 1982 , he ran for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. He faced nine other candidates: former State Banking Commissioner Angelo Bianchi, former Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello , former Congressman Joseph A. LeFante , labor leader Frank Forst, former Congressman Andrew Maguire , Richard McAleer, businessman Howard Rosen, Princeton Mayor Barbara Boggs Sigmund , and Passaic County Freeholder Cyril Yannarelli. Maguire
2610-411: A popular Democratic song. The emotionally similar song " Beautiful Day " by the band U2 has also become a favorite theme song for Democratic candidates. John Kerry used the song during his 2004 presidential campaign and several Democratic congressional candidates used it as a celebratory tune in 2006. As a traditional anthem for its presidential nominating convention, Aaron Copland 's " Fanfare for
2755-623: A program (called the "50 State Strategy") of using DNC national funds to assist all state parties and pay for full-time professional staffers. In addition, state-level party committees operate in the territories of American Samoa , Guam , and Virgin Islands , the commonwealths of Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico , and the District of Columbia , with all but Puerto Rico being active in nominating candidates for both presidential and territorial contests, while Puerto Rico's Democratic Party
2900-587: A salesman for Prudential Insurance and was the first salesman at Automatic Data Processing (ADP), a payroll-management company. He became the company's CEO in 1975. He was the executive commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 1978 to 1982. Lautenberg also served in roles with a number of Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, including as a member of the Jewish Agency for Israel 's board of governors and as president of
3045-590: A strong supporter, or even architect, of President Reagan's economic platform, blaming the Federal Reserve Board 's high interest rates for slow economic growth. Fenwick instead blamed the large federal budget deficit and called for cuts to public works spending, while preserving social services . The New York Times therefore framed the race as a referendum on the Reagan administration's economic policies. Bell himself admitted, "If I lose, I think
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#17327754122253190-461: A synthesis of neoliberal economic policies with cultural liberalism , with the voter base after Reagan having shifted considerably to the right . In an effort to appeal both to liberals and to fiscal conservatives, Democrats began to advocate for a balanced budget and market economy tempered by government intervention ( mixed economy ), along with a continued emphasis on social justice and affirmative action . The economic policy adopted by
3335-568: A tavern, died of cancer. His mother then opened a sandwich shop to support the family. After graduating from Nutley High School in 1941, Lautenberg served overseas in the United States Army Signal Corps during World War II from 1942 to 1946. Then, financed by the GI Bill , he attended and graduated from Columbia Business School 's now-defunct undergraduate program in 1949 with a degree in economics. He worked as
3480-560: A vigorous campaign attacking Eastern moneyed interests, but he lost to Republican William McKinley . The Democrats took control of the House in 1910, and Woodrow Wilson won election as president in 1912 (when the Republicans split) and 1916. Wilson effectively led Congress to put to rest the issues of tariffs, money, and antitrust, which had dominated politics for 40 years, with new progressive laws. He failed to secure Senate passage of
3625-428: A year when Democratic fundraising was hard to come by following Williams's scandal and James Florio 's narrow, expensive loss in the 1981 election for governor . His campaign spending was criticized by LeFante. Sigmund had support from liberals and some labor elements. She ran a spirited, if brief and underfunded campaign, emphasizing her gender and women's issues, arguing a woman was best suited to take on Fenwick in
3770-432: A younger generation of leaders, who like Hart had been inspired by the pragmatic idealism of John F. Kennedy. Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was one such figure, who was elected president in 1992 as the Democratic nominee. The Democratic Leadership Council was a campaign organization connected to Clinton that advocated a realignment and triangulation under the re-branded " New Democrat " label. The party adopted
3915-548: Is an organization supporting the candidacies of Democratic gubernatorial nominees and incumbents. Likewise, the mayors of the largest cities and urban centers convene as the National Conference of Democratic Mayors . The DNC sponsors the College Democrats of America (CDA), a student-outreach organization with the goal of training and engaging a new generation of Democratic activists. Democrats Abroad
4060-658: Is chaired by Representative Suzan DelBene of Washington . Similarly, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), chaired by Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, raises funds for Senate races. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), chaired by Majority Leader of the New York State Senate Andrea Stewart-Cousins , is a smaller organization that focuses on state legislative races. The Democratic Governors Association (DGA)
4205-443: Is contrary to common practice outside of the United States where blue is the traditional color of the right and red the color of the left. Jefferson-Jackson Day is the annual fundraising event (dinner) held by Democratic Party organizations across the United States. It is named after Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson , whom the party regards as its distinguished early leaders. The song " Happy Days Are Here Again "
4350-617: Is organized only to nominate presidential candidates. The Democrats Abroad committee is organized by American voters who reside outside of U.S. territory to nominate presidential candidates. All such party committees are accorded recognition as state parties and are allowed to elect both members to the National Committee as well as delegates to the National Convention. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) assists party candidates in House races and
4495-529: Is the largest party in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world . Including the incumbent Biden, 16 Democrats have served as president of the United States. The Democratic-Republican Party splintered in 1824 into the short-lived National Republican Party and the Jacksonian movement which in 1828 became the Democratic Party. Under the Jacksonian era, the term "The Democracy" was in use by
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4640-545: Is the organization for Americans living outside the United States. They work to advance the party's goals and encourage Americans living abroad to support the Democrats. The Young Democrats of America (YDA) and the High School Democrats of America (HSDA) are young adult and youth-led organizations respectively that attempt to draw in and mobilize young people for Democratic candidates but operates outside of
4785-522: Is the unofficial song of the Democratic Party. It was used prominently when Franklin D. Roosevelt was nominated for president at the 1932 Democratic National Convention and remains a sentimental favorite for Democrats. For example, Paul Shaffer played the theme on the Late Show with David Letterman after the Democrats won Congress in 2006. " Don't Stop " by Fleetwood Mac was adopted by Bill Clinton 's presidential campaign in 1992 and has endured as
4930-557: The 1848 presidential election , before returning to the Democratic Party and staying loyal to the Union. The Democrats split over slavery, with Northern and Southern tickets in the election of 1860 , in which the Republican Party gained ascendancy. The radical pro-slavery Fire-Eaters led walkouts at the two conventions when the delegates would not adopt a resolution supporting the extension of slavery into territories even if
5075-435: The 1984 and 1988 presidential elections , respectively. Many Democrats attached their hopes to the future star of Gary Hart , who had challenged Mondale in the 1984 primaries running on a theme of "New Ideas"; and in the subsequent 1988 primaries became the de facto front-runner and virtual "shoo-in" for the Democratic presidential nomination before a sex scandal ended his campaign. The party nevertheless began to seek out
5220-544: The 2020 presidential election . He began his term with extremely narrow Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate. During the Biden presidency, the party has been characterized as adopting an increasingly progressive economic agenda . In 2022, Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson , the first Black woman on the Supreme Court . However, she was replacing liberal justice Stephen Breyer , so she did not alter
5365-515: The Abscam scandal. After Williams' resignation, Republican Governor Thomas Kean appointed Republican Nicholas F. Brady to the seat. Brady served in the Senate through the primary and general elections but did not run for the seat himself. Fenwick, an extremely popular Congresswoman, centered much of her primary campaign on her electability, name recognition, and ability to win down-ballot races for local Republican candidates. Bell framed himself as
5510-743: The American Friends of the Hebrew University . In 1974, he became the youngest chair ever in the history of the United Jewish Appeal . Within a year Lautenberg had increased its charitable intake to the second-highest level in its history. He was also named to the President's Commission on the Holocaust in the late 1970s. Lautenberg contributed to Democratic candidates for years. He donated $ 90,000 to George McGovern 's campaign for president in 1972 , earning himself
5655-565: The Bush administration on national security issues. He was heavily involved in various anti-smoking and airline safety legislation. He also co-sponsored legislation to increase drunk driving penalties. He was probably best known as the author of the legislation that banned smoking from most commercial airline flights. He also is known for authoring the Ryan White Care Act , which provides services to AIDS patients. Upon his return to
5800-560: The Democratic National Convention . The national convention is subject to the charter of the party and the ultimate authority within the Democratic Party when it is in session, with the DNC running the party's organization at other times. Since 2021, the DNC has been chaired by Jaime Harrison . Each state also has a state committee, made up of elected committee members as well as ex officio committee members (usually elected officials and representatives of major constituencies), which in turn elects
5945-543: The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 , for which Fenwick voted. Lautenberg said the Act did too little to reduce inflation and that the appropriate way to cut unemployment was to fund technological training and fund transportation. Fenwick said that Lautenberg's criticism of spending cuts "reflects the old appetite for bigger government and more spending." Fenwick did criticize Reagan for imposing sanctions on
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6090-664: The Great Society era of progressive legislation under Lyndon B. Johnson , who was often able to overcome the conservative coalition in the 1960s, the core bases of the parties shifted, with the Southern states becoming more reliably Republican and the Northeastern states becoming more reliably Democratic. The party's labor union element has become smaller since the 1970s, and as the American electorate shifted in
6235-617: The Lautenberg Amendment , which first passed in 1989. The amendment granted presumptive refugee status to Jewish people and members of other groups from the Soviet Union, and facilitated the emigration of hundreds of thousands of Jews to the United States. Lautenberg was re-elected in the 1994 Republican Revolution , defeating New Jersey State Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian by 50% to 47%. In 1999, two popular Republicans were considering running against Lautenberg:
6380-451: The NAACP since before she entered politics, objected. Lautenberg responded, "Mrs. Fenwick's anger has apparently overtaken her... I think that when she comes up with that kind of a campaign after complimenting me a couple of weeks ago for my gentlemanly way of campaigning and turns now, instead of defending her record, to talk about mud slinging, shows how desperate she is." He did not withdraw
6525-505: The New Deal . New Deal liberalism meant the regulation of business (especially finance and banking) and the promotion of labor unions as well as federal spending to aid the unemployed, help distressed farmers and undertake large-scale public works projects. It marked the start of the American welfare state. The opponents, who stressed opposition to unions, support for business and low taxes, started calling themselves "conservatives". Until
6670-642: The United States Congress going back to the 1800s. On June 4, 2013, Governor Chris Christie announced that a special election to fill the vacant Senate seat would be held on October 16, 2013. A special primary, which was won by Cory Booker as the Democrat and Steve Lonegan as the Republican candidate , was held on August 13, 2013. On June 6, 2013, Christie appointed Republican New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa to fill
6815-830: The Versailles Treaty (ending the war with Germany and joining the League of Nations). The weakened party was deeply divided by issues such as the KKK and prohibition in the 1920s. However, it did organize new ethnic voters in Northern cities. After World War I ended and continuing through the Great Depression , the Democratic and Republican Parties both largely believed in American exceptionalism over European monarchies and state socialism that existed elsewhere in
6960-655: The Vietnam War in the 1960s was another divisive issue that further fractured the fault lines of the Democrats' coalition. After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, President Johnson committed a large contingency of combat troops to Vietnam, but the escalation failed to drive the Viet Cong from South Vietnam, resulting in an increasing quagmire , which by 1968 had become the subject of widespread anti-war protests in
7105-533: The Whigs and modern Republicans. Historians argue that the modern Democratic Party was first organized in the late 1820s with the election of war hero Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, making it the world's oldest active political party. It was predominately built by Martin Van Buren , who assembled a wide cadre of politicians in every state behind Jackson. Since the nomination of William Jennings Bryan in 1896,
7250-618: The election of 1864 , which featured Andrew Johnson on the Union ticket to attract fellow Democrats. Johnson replaced Lincoln in 1865, but he stayed independent of both parties. The Democrats benefited from white Southerners' resentment of Reconstruction after the war and consequent hostility to the Republican Party. After Redeemers ended Reconstruction in the 1870s and following the often extremely violent disenfranchisement of African Americans led by such white supremacist Democratic politicians as Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina in
7395-489: The gold standard ; opposed bimetallism ; and crusaded against corruption, high taxes and tariffs. Cleveland was elected to non-consecutive presidential terms in 1884 and 1892 . Agrarian Democrats demanding free silver , drawing on Populist ideas, overthrew the Bourbon Democrats in 1896 and nominated William Jennings Bryan for the presidency (a nomination repeated by Democrats in 1900 and 1908). Bryan waged
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#17327754122257540-602: The popular vote , but after a controversial election dispute over a Florida recount settled by the U.S. Supreme Court (which ruled 5–4 in favor of Bush ), he lost the 2000 election to Republican opponent George W. Bush in the Electoral College . In the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as well as the growing concern over global warming , some of
7685-464: The 1880s and 1890s, the South, voting Democratic, became known as the " Solid South ". Although Republicans won all but two presidential elections, the Democrats remained competitive. The party was dominated by pro-business Bourbon Democrats led by Samuel J. Tilden and Grover Cleveland , who represented mercantile, banking, and railroad interests; opposed imperialism and overseas expansion; fought for
7830-570: The 1980s, the Democratic Party was a coalition of two parties divided by the Mason–Dixon line: liberal Democrats in the North and culturally conservative voters in the South, who though benefitting from many of the New Deal public works projects, opposed increasing civil rights initiatives advocated by northeastern liberals. The polarization grew stronger after Roosevelt died. Southern Democrats formed
7975-596: The 1982 Senate primary. Andrews ran a poor campaign, "best remembered—if it's remembered at all—for its ineptness." He was also tarred with his vote for the Iraq War. Lautenberg's New Jersey Senate colleague Bob Menendez also came to his aid and Lautenberg defeated Andrews 59% to 35% in the June 3 primary. He then defeated former Congressman Dick Zimmer in the general election 56% to 43%. The New York Times editorial board endorsed Mr. Lautenberg's candidacy for Senate during
8120-405: The 2008 cycle. Both opponents cited Lautenberg's age among reasons to vote against him. Andrews, for example, referenced Lautenberg's own 1982 defeat of Millicent Fenwick , in which Lautenberg was alleged to have referred to Fenwick's age (Fenwick was 72 at the time; Lautenberg was 84 in 2008). Lautenberg denied he made Fenwick's age an issue, saying he only ever questioned Fenwick's "ability to do
8265-500: The 21st century, the party is strongest among urban voters , union workers , college graduates , women , African Americans , American Jews , LGBT+ people , and the unmarried . On social issues, it advocates for abortion rights , voting rights , LGBT rights , action on climate change , and the legalization of marijuana . On economic issues, the party favors healthcare reform , universal child care , paid sick leave and supporting unions . In foreign policy,
8410-602: The Appropriations Committee. He was reported to have been upset with his treatment and commented that "when you come down from a relatively lofty position of seniority, the atmosphere is different", having been given one of the least prestigious office spaces behind a fire exit door. Back in the Senate, Lautenberg was once again considered one of the chamber's most liberal members. He was pro-choice , supported gun control, introduced many bills increasing penalties for carjacking and car theft , and criticized
8555-638: The Common Man " is traditionally performed at the beginning of the Democratic National Convention. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is responsible for promoting Democratic campaign activities. While the DNC is responsible for overseeing the process of writing the Democratic Platform, the DNC is more focused on campaign and organizational strategy than public policy . In presidential elections, it supervises
8700-617: The DNC. 1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey Nicholas F. Brady Republican Frank Lautenberg Democratic The 1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey was held on November 2, 1982. The seat was effectively vacated by the resignation of Harrison Williams amid scandal in March; his appointed successor, Nicholas F. Brady , did not run. Democratic businessman Frank Lautenberg won
8845-417: The Democratic Party supported expansive presidential power , the interests of slave states , agrarianism , and expansionism , while opposing a national bank and high tariffs . The Democratic-Republican Party split over the choice of a successor to President James Monroe . The faction that supported many of the old Jeffersonian principles , led by Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren , became
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#17327754122258990-407: The Democratic Party while red has become the identifying color for the Republican Party. That night, for the first time all major broadcast television networks used the same color scheme for the electoral map: blue states for Al Gore (Democratic nominee) and red states for George W. Bush (Republican nominee). Since then, the color blue has been widely used by the media to represent the party. This
9135-407: The Democratic Party, including the former Clinton administration , has been referred to as " Third Way ". The Democrats lost control of Congress in the 1994 elections to the Republicans, however, in 1996 Clinton was re-elected, becoming the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second full term. Clinton's vice president Al Gore ran to succeed him as president, and won
9280-553: The Democrats but had the effect of alienating Southern whites who would eventually gravitate toward the Republican Party, particularly after the election of Ronald Reagan to the presidency in 1980. Many conservative Southern Democrats defected to the Republican Party , beginning with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the general leftward shift of the party. The United States' involvement in
9425-502: The Democrats led to a Republican victory and Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States. As the American Civil War broke out, Northern Democrats were divided into War Democrats and Peace Democrats . The Confederate States of America deliberately avoided organized political parties. Most War Democrats rallied to Republican President Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans' National Union Party in
9570-730: The Federalist Party. The Democratic-Republican Party favored republicanism ; a weak federal government ; states' rights ; agrarian interests (especially Southern planters); and strict adherence to the Constitution. The party opposed a national bank and Great Britain . After the War of 1812 , the Federalists virtually disappeared and the only national political party left was the Democratic-Republicans, which
9715-438: The Jersey shore to bring attention to pollution. After the first debate, Morris withdrew from the race, saying that he had made his point and did not have the funding to continue. Though he chose to remain neutral, his withdrawal was seen to benefit Bell, a fellow conservative. Bell admitted he had asked Morris to withdraw, though he did not know how much effect this had. Near the end of the primary, Bell unsuccessfully sought
9860-406: The Obama presidency, the party moved forward reforms including an economic stimulus package, the Dodd–Frank financial reform act, and the Affordable Care Act . In the 2010 midterm elections , the Democratic Party lost control of the House as well as its majorities in several state legislatures and governorships. In the 2012 elections , President Obama was re-elected, but the party remained in
10005-406: The Republican Senate majority and thereby empower Thurmond. After the debate, Fenwick said she would prefer a new chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee to replace Thurmond. Federal executive branch officials U.S. Senators U.S. Representatives State officials Newspapers Federal executive branch officials U.S. Senators Newspapers Lautenberg won by 51% to 48%, in what
10150-439: The Republican eagle. The rooster was also adopted as an official symbol of the national Democratic Party. In 1904, the Alabama Democratic Party chose, as the logo to put on its ballots, a rooster with the motto "White supremacy – For the right." The words "White supremacy" were replaced with "Democrats" in 1966. In 1996, the Alabama Democratic Party dropped the rooster, citing racist and white supremacist connotations linked with
10295-428: The Republicans as New Jersey law forbade the replacement of candidates on the ballot after a certain deadline. The ballot name change was unanimously upheld by the New Jersey Supreme Court , who cited that the law, as written, did not consider the possibility for an emergency resignation and said that Forrester would have an unfair advantage if Torricelli was left on the ballot. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up
10440-477: The Senate chamber at the Capitol. He was buried on June 7, 2013, with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery . Congress passed on September 20, 2013, a spending bill, H.J.Res.59 – Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014, that included a $ 174,000 tax-free death benefit payment to his widow. An annual salary payment to the widow or family member of a deceased lawmaker is a long-standing tradition for
10585-478: The Senate in 2001. Called upon to run again one year later due to circumstances surrounding his Senate colleague Robert Torricelli 's re-election campaign, Lautenberg returned to the Senate in January 2003 and was elected to one additional term in 2008. He died during his fifth term and remains New Jersey's longest serving senator, with a total of 28 years, 5 months and 8 days in office. Before entering politics, he
10730-523: The Senate seat until the elected winner could be sworn in. On October 17, 2013, Democrat Cory Booker was announced the winner of the special election. He has held the seat ever since. The Frank R. Lautenberg Deep-Sea Coral Protection Area is an offshore marine protected area for deep-sea corals off the coast of the Mid-Atlantic states of the United States, established in 2016 and named after Lautenberg. The results for Lautenberg's elections to
10875-416: The Senate, Lautenberg was the first U.S. senator to introduce legislation calling for homeland security funds to be distributed solely on the basis of risk and vulnerability. In 2005, he became a leading voice within the Senate in calling for an investigation into the Bush administration payment of columnists . When Jon Corzine resigned from the Senate to become Governor of New Jersey , Lautenberg became
11020-424: The U.S. House and expanded its majority in the U.S. Senate, along with several gains at the state level. In July 2024, after a series of age and health concerns , Biden became the first incumbent president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to withdraw from running for reelection, the first since the 19th century to withdraw after serving only one term, and the only one to ever withdraw after already winning
11165-493: The US Senate: Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States . Since the late 1850s, its main political rival has been the Republican Party ; the two parties have since dominated American politics. The Democratic Party was founded in 1828. Martin Van Buren of New York played the central role in building
11310-500: The United States after World War II included the Cold War and the civil rights movement . Republicans attracted conservatives and, after the 1960s, white Southerners from the Democratic coalition with their use of the Southern strategy and resistance to New Deal and Great Society liberalism. Until the 1950s, African Americans had traditionally supported the Republican Party because of its anti-slavery civil rights policies. Following
11455-559: The United States and elsewhere. With increasing casualties and nightly news reports bringing home troubling images from Vietnam, the costly military engagement became increasingly unpopular, alienating many of the kinds of young voters that the Democrats had attracted in the early 1960s. The protests that year along with assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Democratic presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy (younger brother of John F. Kennedy) climaxed in turbulence at
11600-654: The Whig Party. The Democratic Party had a small yet decisive advantage over the Whigs until the 1850s when the Whigs fell apart over the issue of slavery. In 1854, angry with the Kansas–Nebraska Act , anti-slavery Democrats left the party and joined Northern Whigs to form the Republican Party . Martin van Buren also helped found the Free Soil Party to oppose the spread of slavery, running as its candidate in
11745-460: The ballot. In Union, he finished ahead of Sigmund and LeFante. After the primary, Lautenberg's campaign got off to a rocky start, as polls put Fenwick ahead by as much as 18 points and most figured that she was assured victory in November. Even many Democrats assumed their goal was to keep her margin low enough to preserve Democratic chances for local offices. Lautenberg quipped that his opponent
11890-473: The campaign intensified after Lautenberg attacked Fenwick as "a little eccentric," quoting former President Gerald Ford . Lautenberg also said she was "erratic in terms of proposals, work and programs." He denied this was an attack on her age and said he was not challenging her "fitness to serve" but her "ability to do the job." By the month's end, both candidates acknowledged the race had drawn much closer. Lautenberg compared his campaign to Mario Cuomo 's in
12035-501: The campaign, Kennedy attracted a new generation of younger voters. In his agenda dubbed the New Frontier , Kennedy introduced a host of social programs and public works projects, along with enhanced support of the space program , proposing a crewed spacecraft trip to the moon by the end of the decade. He pushed for civil rights initiatives and proposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , but with his assassination in November 1963, he
12180-480: The case. With the popular Lautenberg now in the race, Forrester's lead in the polls evaporated and Lautenberg won the election by a 54%-44% margin. Despite having served over 18 years in the Senate, upon Lautenberg's return he was treated like other freshman senators with respect to seniority . This was despite the fact that he had agreed to run for office with the implicit understanding that Democratic leader Tom Daschle would allow him to retain seniority and serve on
12325-632: The charges, but instead returned Fenwick's charge of mudslinging: "Mrs. Fenwick's campaign has taken a radical turn, changing from one where she presented herself as a public servant to one where personality became an issue." On October 27, Lautenberg held a rally with Ted Kennedy at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark with 1,200 in attendance. Fenwick toured a housing project in East Orange and took interviews with New Jersey Network and
12470-455: The coalition of state organizations that formed a new party as a vehicle to elect Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. The Democratic Party is the world's oldest active political party. It initially supported expansive presidential power , agrarianism , and geographical expansionism , while opposing a national bank and high tariffs . From 1848 it was dominated by the interests of slave states until it split in 1860 over slavery . It won
12615-430: The concentration of economic and political power. They believed that government intervention in the economy benefited special-interest groups and created corporate monopolies that favored the rich. They sought to restore the independence of the individual—the artisan and the ordinary farmer—by ending federal support of banks and corporations and restricting the use of paper currency, which they distrusted. Their definition of
12760-432: The confusion of the Democrats that year, and won the 1968 election to become the 37th president. He won re-election in a landslide in 1972 against Democratic nominee George McGovern , who like Robert F. Kennedy, reached out to the younger anti-war and counterculture voters, but unlike Kennedy, was not able to appeal to the party's more traditional white working-class constituencies. During Nixon's second term, his presidency
12905-430: The court's 6–3 split between conservatives (the majority) and liberals. After Dobbs v. Jackson (decided June 24, 2022), which led to abortion bans in much of the country , the Democratic Party rallied behind abortion rights . In the 2022 midterm elections , Democrats dramatically outperformed historical trends and a widely anticipated red wave did not materialize. The party only narrowly lost its majority in
13050-472: The election by a significant margin, as no Republican had won election from New Jersey since Clifford P. Case was elected to his final six-year term in 1972 in the seat Torricelli was currently occupying. However, an ongoing investigation into the Senator's activities and business dealings resulted in federal corruption charges being filed against him before the election. The subsequent drop in voter support in
13195-432: The endorsement of Governor Tom Kean . Late in the campaign, Fenwick's aides cited her polling lead at 15 percentage points. Fenwick defeated by Bell with 54% of the vote. Bell called Fenwick at 11 P.M. on election night to concede. He maintained his interpretation that his defeat was a referendum on Reaganomics and that Fenwick's victory was a sign that voters rejected Reagan's policies. The first candidate to enter
13340-731: The fall campaign. At her campaign announcement, Sigmund said that a race between herself and Fenwick "would be the most exciting campaign in the country." She also cited women's perceived compassion and mediating skills as beneficial in politics. One Sigmund supporter referred to the primary race as "Snow White and the Nine Dwarfs." Sigmund's campaign likely cost Andrew Maguire the endorsement of Mercer County Democrats and women's groups, two groups that had favored him before her entry. Sigmund may also have cut into Maguire's support with labor and Black voters. Sigmund also drew funding and organizational help from Washington. LeFante's campaign had
13485-559: The filing deadline, on the anniversary of her father's birthday. Donald Cresitello , a former mayor of Morristown , and Richard McAleer, a car-leasing manager, were also late entries. The Democratic primary was previewed in The New York Times as a "free-for-all," with ten candidates entering before the April 30 filing deadline and no clear favorite. Lautenberg's campaign was largely self-funded, giving him an advantage in
13630-466: The first name on the list regardless of candidate. The only county Maguire won outside his native Bergen was also the only county where he had the first position, Hunterdon. Likewise, LeFante only won his native Hudson and two counties where he had top position, Cape May and Gloucester. Richard McAleer spent no money on his campaign, but won more than half his votes in Mercer, Union, and Warren, where he led
13775-427: The first place, Lautenberg would likely have had trouble restarting his campaign. A little over a year after he left office, however, Lautenberg found an opening. In the 2002 primaries leading up to the midterm elections . Torricelli won the Democratic nomination for a second term in the Senate. The Republican candidate was Doug Forrester , the mayor of West Windsor Township . It was expected that Torricelli would win
13920-470: The government has placed on the terrorist watchlist. On June 21, 2007, Lautenberg passed Clifford Case for the most votes on the Senate floor of any United States Senator in New Jersey history. In February 2006, Lautenberg announced his intention to run for re-election in 2008 , saying that deciding not to run for re-election in 2000 "was among the worst decisions of his life." Lautenberg formally announced his candidacy on March 31, 2008. His campaign manager
14065-647: The hallmark of nineteenth-century American politics. Behind the platforms issued by state and national parties stood a widely shared political outlook that characterized the Democrats: The Democrats represented a wide range of views but shared a fundamental commitment to the Jeffersonian concept of an agrarian society. They viewed the central government as the enemy of individual liberty. The 1824 "corrupt bargain" had strengthened their suspicion of Washington politics. ... Jacksonians feared
14210-456: The hotly-contested Democratic National Convention that summer in Chicago (which amongst the ensuing turmoil inside and outside of the convention hall nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey ) in a series of events that proved to mark a significant turning point in the decline of the Democratic Party's broad coalition. Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon was able to capitalize on
14355-508: The image persisted and evolved. Its most lasting impression came from the cartoons of Thomas Nast from 1870 in Harper's Weekly . Cartoonists followed Nast and used the donkey to represent the Democrats and the elephant to represent the Republicans. In the early 20th century, the traditional symbol of the Democratic Party in Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Ohio was the rooster, as opposed to
14500-502: The incumbent Governor Christine Todd Whitman and former Governor Thomas Kean . Polling showed Lautenberg trailing both of them. Lautenberg also did not get along with his New Jersey Senate colleague Robert Torricelli , and suspected that he was encouraging Whitman to run against him. Torricelli's relationship with Lautenberg had been very rocky, especially when Lautenberg directly accused Torricelli of encouraging Whitman to challenge him for his Senate seat. Lautenberg raised his concerns in
14645-597: The job." In June 2010, Lautenberg compared the devil with Dubai . Lautenberg was quoted as stating, "We wouldn't transfer the title to the devil, and we're not going to transfer it to Dubai ." According to a Foreign Policy in Focus article, Lautenberg defended his remarks due to the UAE 's refusal to support U.S. policy toward Israel and Iran. According to the Arab American Institute , Lautenberg apologized in
14790-842: The key support of the Hudson County Democratic machine, which was expected to deliver him 50,000 votes, about half of what was expected to be necessary to win. Sigmund herself called him the front-runner. Rosen, who spent $ 1,000,000 and campaigned vigorously, was forced to cease campaigning late in the race due to a kidney ailment. In the final weeks, Maguire focused his campaign on North and Central Jersey, making 32 stops at train stations, shopping malls, and factories. Lautenberg and LeFante both campaigned in North Jersey, while Sigmund campaigned with Anne Clark Martindell and Claude Pepper in Trenton. On election night,
14935-664: The last remaining World War II veteran in the Senate. Lautenberg served on the following committees: Frank Lautenberg married Lois Levenson in 1956, with whom he had four children: Ellen, Nan, Lisa, and Joshua. Their 31-year marriage ended in divorce, in 1988. On 25 January 2004, he married his companion of nearly 16 years, Bonnie S. Englebardt. He also had two stepdaughters, Danielle Englebardt and Lara Englebardt Metz with Bonnie; and 13 grandchildren. Lautenberg resided in Montclair, New Jersey for much of his Senate career and last resided in nearby Cliffside Park . In 2024, Lautenberg
15080-556: The leadership of Nancy Pelosi . Democrats were extremely critical of President Trump, particularly his policies on immigration, healthcare, and abortion, as well as his response to the COVID-19 pandemic . In December 2019, Democrats in the House of Representatives impeached Trump , although he was acquitted in the Republican-controlled Senate. In November 2020, Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump to win
15225-430: The minority in the House of Representatives and lost control of the Senate in the 2014 midterm elections . After the 2016 election of Donald Trump , who lost the popular vote to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , the Democratic Party transitioned into the role of an opposition party and held neither the presidency nor Congress for two years. However, the party won back the House in the 2018 midterm elections under
15370-414: The modern Democratic Party. Historian Mary Beth Norton explains the transformation in 1828: Jacksonians believed the people's will had finally prevailed. Through a lavishly financed coalition of state parties, political leaders, and newspaper editors, a popular movement had elected the president. The Democrats became the nation's first well-organized national party ... and tight party organization became
15515-440: The national Republican slogan of "stay the course." He blamed her criticism on tightening polls. Jobs and the economy remained the major issue. Lautenberg contended that Fenwick supported cuts to Social Security benefits, which she denied. Lautenberg directly defended his campaign literature tying Fenwick to Strom Thurmond, arguing that while he was "not accusing Mrs. Fenwick of anti-voting rights views," her victory would preserve
15660-574: The party has generally positioned itself to the left of the Republican Party on economic issues. Democrats have been more liberal on civil rights since 1948, although conservative factions within the Democratic Party that opposed them persisted in the South until the 1960s. On foreign policy, both parties have changed positions several times. The Democratic Party evolved from the Jeffersonian Republican or Democratic-Republican Party organized by Jefferson and Madison in opposition to
15805-506: The party supports liberal internationalism as well as tough stances against China and Russia . Democratic Party officials often trace its origins to the Democratic-Republican Party , founded by Thomas Jefferson , James Madison and other influential opponents of the conservative Federalists in 1792. That party died out before the modern Democratic Party was organized; the Jeffersonian party also inspired
15950-412: The party's key issues in the early 21st century have included combating terrorism while preserving human rights, expanding access to health care, labor rights , and environmental protection. Democrats regained majority control of both the House and the Senate in the 2006 elections . Barack Obama won the Democratic Party's nomination and was elected as the first African American president in 2008. Under
16095-469: The party, but inflation and the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979–1980 took their toll, resulting in a landslide victory for Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan in 1980, which shifted the political landscape in favor of the Republicans for years to come. The influx of conservative Democrats into the Republican Party is often cited as a reason for the Republican Party's shift further to
16240-453: The party, but the name "Democratic Party" was eventually settled upon and became the official name in 1844. Members of the party are called "Democrats" or "Dems". The most common mascot symbol for the party has been the donkey, or jackass. Andrew Jackson 's enemies twisted his name to "jackass" as a term of ridicule regarding a stupid and stubborn animal. However, the Democrats liked the common-man implications and picked it up too, therefore
16385-561: The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 , the Southern states became more reliably Republican in presidential politics, while Northeastern states became more reliably Democratic. Studies show that Southern whites, which were a core constituency in the Democratic Party, shifted to the Republican Party due to racial backlash and social conservatism . The election of President John F. Kennedy from Massachusetts in 1960 partially reflected this shift. In
16530-506: The possibility that Dawkins' candidacy was intended solely as a stepping stone to the presidency, as well as pointing out his lack of roots in New Jersey. Lautenberg ultimately came from behind to win re-election, 54% to 46%. The race was named the 17th-nastiest in American political history by political scientist Kerwin Swint in his book Mudslingers: The 25 Dirtiest Political Campaigns of All Time . Following his re-election, Lautenberg became
16675-510: The presidency only twice between 1860 and 1912, although it won the popular vote two more times in that period. In the late 19th century, it continued to oppose high tariffs and had fierce internal debates on the gold standard . In the early 20th century, it partially (not all factions) supported progressive reforms and opposed imperialism , with Woodrow Wilson winning the White House in 1912 and 1916 . Since Franklin D. Roosevelt
16820-401: The primaries . As of 2024, Democrats hold the presidency and a majority in the U.S. Senate , as well as 23 state governorships , 19 state legislatures , 17 state government trifectas , and the mayorships in the majority of the country's major cities. Three of the nine current U.S. Supreme Court justices were appointed by Democratic presidents. By registered members, the Democratic Party
16965-517: The proper role of government tended to be negative, and Jackson's political power was largely expressed in negative acts. He exercised the veto more than all previous presidents combined. ... Nor did Jackson share reformers' humanitarian concerns. He had no sympathy for American Indians, initiating the removal of the Cherokees along the Trail of Tears . Opposing factions led by Henry Clay helped form
17110-465: The race was Howard Rosen, a lawyer from Millburn . Representatives Andrew Maguire and Joseph LeFante both had large bases in their home counties, Bergen and Hudson respectively. Frank Lautenberg, the CEO of ADP, had no natural political base and had never run for office, but had a well-financed media campaign and courted key endorsements. The last major candidate to join the race was Barbara Boggs Sigmund,
17255-636: The results swung back and forth, with Lautenberg, Maguire, and LeFante each holding the lead several times. Lautenberg claimed victory at 11:40 P.M. and Maguire conceded shortly after. LeFante declined to concede immediately, saying he would wait until Wednesday to re-examine the votes. Lautenberg won a narrow victory with 26% of the vote to 23% for Maguire and 20% for LeFante. Sigmund ran fourth with 11%. Lautenberg had no strong regional base, but stayed close enough to Maguire in Bergen and LeFante in Hudson to carry
17400-516: The right during the late 20th century as well as the shift of its base from the Northeast and Midwest to the South. With the ascendancy of the Republicans under Ronald Reagan, the Democrats searched for ways to respond yet were unable to succeed by running traditional candidates, such as former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale and Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis , who lost to Reagan and George H.W. Bush in
17545-539: The seat in a major upset, defeating a large field of eight Democratic candidates and Republican Millicent Fenwick , a popular, well-known U.S. Representative . Lautenberg's campaign was largely self-funded and overcame early polling leads for Fenwick by outspending her 2-to-1 and emphasizing the persistently poor economic conditions under Republican President Ronald Reagan and the conservative Congress . The seat had been occupied by Democrat Harrison A. Williams , who resigned on March 11, 1982, after being implicated in
17690-590: The seat. Brady served in the Senate through the primary and general elections but did not run for the seat himself. In the general election , Lautenberg faced popular Republican congresswoman Millicent Fenwick . She ran on a very progressive platform and polls in the Summer of 1982 put her ahead by 18 points. Even Lautenberg quipped that she was "the most popular candidate in the country." Lautenberg spent more of his own money, eventually out-spending Fenwick two-to-one. He emphasised President Reagan 's unpopularity, reminded
17835-456: The senator announced that he was cancer-free. In 2010, Lautenberg's wealth was estimated to be between $ 55 million and $ 116.1 million, making him the fifth-wealthiest Senator. Lautenberg began collecting modern art after his election to the Senate, much of which was sold after his death. Lautenberg died at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan on June 3, 2013, of viral pneumonia . He
17980-550: The senior senator again in 2006. This also made him the only person to have been both the junior and senior senator from New Jersey twice each. Lautenberg received an "A" on the Drum Major Institute 's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues. In 2007, Lautenberg proposed the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2007 , designed to deny weapons purchases by persons that
18125-463: The state on the back of narrow victories throughout the rest of the state. Some Maguire supporters suggested that he would have won had Sigmund not joined the race; the Maguire campaign itself denied this, arguing that Sigmund pulled from all candidates. Maguire might also have won the race if he had better ballot positioning ; estimates at the time suggested 5 to 10 percent of ballots were cast for
18270-463: The summer New York Democratic primary , in which he trailed Ed Koch by a wide margin in all polls but won a major upset. Fenwick continued to hammer her independence and criticized Lautenberg for distorting her record. She was particularly the Lautenberg campaign's claim that, "If Fenwick goes to the Senate, she'll support voting-rights opponent Strom Thurmond ." Fenwick, a long-time member of
18415-406: The symbol. The rooster symbol still appears on Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia ballots . In New York, the Democratic ballot symbol is a five-pointed star. Although both major political parties (and many minor ones) use the traditional American colors of red, white, and blue in their marketing and representations, since election night 2000 blue has become the identifying color for
18560-414: The voters of those territories did not want it. These Southern Democrats nominated the pro-slavery incumbent vice president, John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, for president and General Joseph Lane , of Oregon, for vice president. The Northern Democrats nominated Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois for president and former Georgia Governor Herschel V. Johnson for vice president. This fracturing of
18705-413: The voters that she would be a vote for a Republican majority in the Senate and called Fenwick, who was 72, "eccentric" and "erratic" but denied that he was referring to her age. He did however point out that she would be almost 80 at the end of her first term and was therefore unlikely to gain much seniority in the Senate. Lautenberg won by 51% to 48%, in what was considered a major upset. Brady, who had just
18850-554: The weeks that followed resulted in Torricelli's decision to withdraw from the race on September 30, 2002. After overtures were made to retired Senator Bill Bradley , Congressman Frank Pallone , and future Senator Robert Menendez to take over as candidate, the New Jersey Democratic Party called upon Lautenberg and he accepted the nomination. This was met with an almost immediate challenge by Forrester and
18995-542: The world. The Great Depression in 1929 that began under Republican President Herbert Hoover and the Republican Congress set the stage for a more liberal government as the Democrats controlled the House of Representatives nearly uninterrupted from 1930 until 1994, the Senate for 44 of 48 years from 1930, and won most presidential elections until 1968. Franklin D. Roosevelt , elected to the presidency in 1932, came forth with federal government programs called
19140-835: Was "the most popular candidate in the country." But Lautenberg waged an aggressive, self-funded campaign against Fenwick, outspending her two-to-one. He emphasized partisan differences by tying Fenwick to President Ronald Reagan and Senator Strom Thurmond and attacking her personally, calling her "erratic" and "eccentric." Lautenberg faced an early problem when he claimed that Hudson County Democratic leaders asked him to pay off Joseph A. LeFante 's primary campaign debts and barred his staff from incumbent U.S. Representative Frank J. Guarini 's district campaign offices until he paid. Mayor of Jersey City Gerald McCann denied that he had requested any sum and accused Lautenberg of threatening Hudson County officials by supporting primary challengers in local elections if they withheld support. In October,
19285-488: Was 89. Lautenberg was returned to Washington by an Amtrak funeral train . "Amtrak is honored to be chosen to carry him back to Washington, D.C. one final time," wrote Amtrak Chairman Tony Cosica and President/CEO Joseph Boardman in a joint public statement of condolence, "thank you Sen. Lautenberg for your service to the nation." On June 6, 2013, his body lay in repose atop the Lincoln Catafalque within
19430-513: Was Brendan W. Gill. Congressman Steve Rothman and State Senator John Adler both mooted the possibility of running, but said they would defer to Lautenberg. In private he called them "the pallbearers". Ultimately, both declined to run. Instead, Congressman Rob Andrews announced he would challenge Lautenberg for renomination in the Democratic primary . Also running was Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello , who had run against Lautenberg in
19575-651: Was an early partner in, and became the chairman and chief executive officer of Automatic Data Processing , Inc. In his early years, he served overseas in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1942 to 1946 as a part of the war effort, and after returning home his interest in American political events increased. He has been called "the last of the New Deal liberals " and was known for his legislative efforts against drunk driving , and his support of spending for Amtrak and urban public transportation , for stronger environmental regulations , greater consumer protections , and investigations of wrongdoing by Wall Street . Lautenberg
19720-550: Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden , a Senate colleague for over two decades. On February 19, 2010, his office announced that Lautenberg had been diagnosed with a diffuse large b-cell lymphoma (an aggressive but curable blood cancer that appears in organs like the stomach) at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He had been hospitalized with profuse gastric bleeding following
19865-467: Was born in Paterson, New Jersey , the son of Mollie (née Bergen) and Sam Lautenberg, Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia, who had arrived in the United States as infants. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Frank Bergen, and close family friend and Paterson community activist, Raleigh Weintrob. When Lautenberg was 19, his father, who worked in silk mills, sold coal, farmed, and once ran
20010-428: Was considered a major upset. Brady, who had just a few days left in his appointed term, resigned on December 27, 1982, allowing Lautenberg to take office several days before the traditional swearing-in of senators, which gave him an edge in seniority over the other freshman senators. After her term expired in January, Fenwick retired from electoral politics. President Reagan appointed her United States Ambassador to
20155-450: Was elected to replace him. Almost immediately, Lautenberg regretted his decision, especially after neither Whitman nor Kean ran against Corzine in the general election (instead, Congressman Bob Franks ran for the seat, and was defeated). He also was said to be missing his days working in the Senate. He had considered reversing his decision and running for re-election, but since his rival, Senator Torricelli, had encouraged Corzine to run in
20300-550: Was elected president in 1932, the Democratic Party has promoted a liberal platform that includes support for Social Security and unemployment insurance . The New Deal attracted strong support for the party from recent European immigrants but diminished the party's pro-business wing. From late in Roosevelt's administration through the 1950s, a minority in the party's Southern wing joined with conservative Republicans to slow and stop progressive domestic reforms. Following
20445-530: Was not able to see its passage. Kennedy's successor Lyndon B. Johnson was able to persuade the largely conservative Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and with a more progressive Congress in 1965 passed much of the Great Society , including Medicare and Medicaid , which consisted of an array of social programs designed to help the poor, sick, and elderly. Kennedy and Johnson's advocacy of civil rights further solidified black support for
20590-574: Was overshadowed by New York Governor Mario Cuomo , who gave the keynote speech. In the 1988 election , Lautenberg was opposed by Republican Wall Street executive, former college football star Brigadier General Pete Dawkins , who won the 1958 Heisman Trophy for the Army Black Knights . After trailing in early polls, the Lautenberg campaign, headed by Democratic consultant James Carville , ran an aggressive advertising campaign enumerating Lautenberg's legislative accomplishments and raising
20735-510: Was prone to splinter along regional lines. The era of one-party rule in the United States, known as the Era of Good Feelings , lasted from 1816 until 1828, when Andrew Jackson became president. Jackson and Martin Van Buren worked with allies in each state to form a new Democratic Party on a national basis. In the 1830s, the Whig Party coalesced into the main rival to the Democrats. Before 1860,
20880-478: Was rocked by the Watergate scandal, which forced him to resign in 1974. He was succeeded by vice president Gerald Ford , who served a brief tenure. Watergate offered the Democrats an opportunity to recoup, and their nominee Jimmy Carter won the 1976 presidential election. With the initial support of evangelical Christian voters in the South, Carter was temporarily able to reunite the disparate factions within
21025-478: Was the favorite but Boggs' entry took votes away from him and Lautenberg spent a considerable amount of his own money. Lautenberg won with a plurality, taking 26% of the vote to Maguire's 23%, LeFante's 20% and Sigmund's 11%. The seat had been occupied by Democrat Harrison A. Williams , who resigned on March 11, 1982, after being implicated in the Abscam scandal. After Williams' resignation, Republican Governor Thomas Kean appointed Republican Nicholas F. Brady to
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