Raymond M. "Ray" Durkin (1936 – December 23, 2014) was an American

Democratic party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

from

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

who has served as chairman of the

New Jersey Democratic State Committee The New Jersey Democratic State Committee (NJDSC) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of New Jersey. LeRoy J. Jones Jr. is the chair and Peg Schaffer is the vice chair. Structure The NJDSC has a 13-member executive committe ...

as well as the Essex County Democratic Committee. Durkin grew up in the Vailsburg neighborhood in the West Ward of

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Peter Shapiro defeated Lerner's organization to become Essex County's first elected executive in 1978. Durkin was an early active supporter of Shapiro."Shapiro Picks N.J. Party Chief". ''

The Record (Bergen County) ''The Record'' (also called ''The North Jersey Record'', ''The Bergen Record'', ''The Sunday Record'' (Sunday edition) and formerly ''The Bergen Evening Record'') is a newspaper in New Jersey, United States. Serving Bergen, Essex, Hudson and P ...

'', June 10, 1985. Durkin was selected as Essex County Democratic Chairman in 1980. In 1985, when Shapiro was the Democratic candidate for

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official res ...

opposing incumbent Tom Kean, Durkin was named chairman of the

. Durkin helped

Jim Florio James Joseph Florio (August 29, 1937 – September 25, 2022) was an American politician who served as the 49th governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994. He was previously the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district from 19 ...

win the Democratic nomination for governor in 1989 and also assisted

Ron Brown Ronald Harmon Brown (August 1, 1941 – April 3, 1996) was an American politician. He served as the United States Secretary of Commerce during the first term of President of the United States, President Bill Clinton. Prior to this he was chairm ...

in his election as chairman of the

Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the governing body of the United States Democratic Party. The committee coordinates strategy to support Democratic Party candidates throughout the country for local, state, and national office, as well a ...

that same year."Ex-Party Chief Faces Drug Charge" ''

'', January 8, 1997. Durkin served as state party chairman until 1990. He continued as Essex County party chairman until 1992, when he was unseated by

County Executive A county executive, county manager or county mayor is the head of the executive branch of government in a United States county. The executive may be an elected or an appointed position. When elected, the executive typically functions either as a ...

Thomas D'Alessio. (D'Alessio was convicted of extortion in 1994.)"Ex-State Democratic Chairman Is Arrested on Cocaine Charges"
''

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'', January 6, 1997. Accessed June 23, 2008. After his loss of the Essex party chairmanship, Durkin dropped out of politics. He spent a month in a rehabilitation program in Minnesota for alcohol abuse. On January 3, 1997 he was arrested outside the Hudson Plaza Motel in

Bayonne, New Jersey Bayonne ( ) is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is situated on a peninsula located between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill Van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east. As of ...

with one vial of crack cocaine. He was charged with being under the influence, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He entered a plea of not guilty but made arrangements to enter a substance abuse program. Durkin resided in

Maplewood, New Jersey Maplewood is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is an inner-ring suburban bedroom community of New York City in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's populatio ...

. His wife, Joan Codey Durkin, is the cousin of former New Jersey Governor

Richard Codey Richard James Codey (born November 27, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd governor of New Jersey from 2004 to 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1982 and served as the President of the Senate ...

and has served as Essex County Tax Commissioner. His son Christopher J. Durkin has served as Essex County Clerk since 2006. On December 23, 2014, he died clean and sober at the age of 78 from emphysema and heart failure at a hospital in

Livingston, New Jersey Livingston is a township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 29,366, reflecting an increase of 1,975 (+7.2%) from the ...

."New Jersey Democratic powerbroker Ray Durkin dies"
''

Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'' is a daily newspaper in Monmouth and Ocean counties of New Jersey and has the third largest circulation in the state. It has been owned by Gannett since 1997. Its reporting staff has been awarded numerous national hon ...

''. Accessed December 24, 2014.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Durkin, Raymond T. 1936 births 2014 deaths New Jersey Democrats People from Maplewood, New Jersey Politicians from Newark, New Jersey Chairmen of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee