Parker Space (born December 4, 1968) is an American
Republican Party politician, and owner of
Space Farms Zoo and Museum. Space has served in the
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
since March 2013, where he represents the
24th Legislative District.
[
]
Personal life
Space graduated in 1987 from High Point Regional High School
High Point Regional High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in Wantage Township, New Jersey, United States (with a Sussex postal address), which is the sole high school in its school district.
The district educate ...
.
He is a farmer and restaurant owner who also owns Space Farms Zoo and Museum in the Beemerville section of Wantage Township in Sussex County. He has served with the Wantage Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter since 1989 and the department's chief 2001–2002.
Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Space was appointed to the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2010 following the appointment of Hal Wirths
Harold J. Wirths (born April 5, 1965) is an American Republican politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2018, representing the 24th Legislative District. He previously served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Depart ...
to head the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The New Jersey Civil Service Commission is an independent body within the New Jersey state government under the auspices of t ...
. Space won a full three-year term in the 2010 general election and was chosen as Freeholder Director in 2013.
New Jersey Assembly
Space served as freeholder until his appointment to the General Assembly filling a vacancy left by the resignation of Gary R. Chiusano in 2013.[George, Andrew]
"Parker Space selected to fill 24th District vacancy in N.J. Assembly"
''The Express-Times
''The Express-Times'' is a daily newspaper based in Easton, Pennsylvania. The newspaper provides national news and extensive local news coverage of the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855, ''The Express-Times'' is the lon ...
'' (25 February 2013). Retrieved 9 July 2013. Chiusano was appointed to the vacant position of Sussex County Surrogate, and Space was chosen by a convention called of party delegates from municipalities to fill the vacancy per New Jersey state law. Space received 103 of the 158 delegate votes cast, defeating Bader Qarmout, John Wroblewski, and Mark Quick. He was elected to his own full term in November 2013, then again in 2015 and 2017.
Committee assignments
Committee assignments for the current session are:[Assemblyman Parker Space (R)]
New Jersey Legislature. Accessed May 6, 2022.
*Agriculture and Food Security
*Labor
District 24
Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
. The representatives from the 24th District for the 2022—23 Legislative Session are:
* Senator Steve Oroho
Steven V. Oroho (born July 26, 1958) is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 24th Legislative District. Oroho is the current State Senate Minority Leader ...
(R)
* Assemblyman Parker Space (R)
* Assemblyman Hal Wirths
Harold J. Wirths (born April 5, 1965) is an American Republican politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2018, representing the 24th Legislative District. He previously served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Depart ...
(R)
Controversies
Space was criticized for playing Solitaire on the job during a debate on minimum wages. In a candidate forum in October 2015, Space was quoted as saying: "There is nothing better than an unregistered gun, believe me." In August 2017, Space was criticized for posting a photo of himself and his wife posing in front of a Confederate flag
The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...
, which was superimposed with a picture of Hank Williams Jr.
Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of southern rock, blues, and country. He is the son of ...
's face. The inscription on the flag read: "If the South would've won, we would've had it made."
On August 31, 2017, Space was recorded calling opponent Kate Matteson, saying " ..And you can put that on the record. She is (an) elitist 1 percenter, an elitist who's a bitch. Gina (Gina Trish, Matteson's running mate), I've never met. I can't say anything bad about her. But Kate, I can. Because I know she's a bitch."
Electoral history
New Jersey Assembly
References
External links
Assemblyman Parker Space
(New Jersey Legislature official website)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Space, Parker
1968 births
Living people
Mayors of places in New Jersey
County commissioners in New Jersey
Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly
People from Wantage Township, New Jersey
Politicians from Sussex County, New Jersey
21st-century American politicians