Anthony R. Bucco (February 24, 1938 – September 16, 2019) was an American Republican Party politician who served in the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

from 1998, where he represented the 25th Legislative District until his death. Bucco served as Co-Majority Leader in the

with Republican Robert Singer and Democrat

Bernard Kenny Bernard F. Kenny Jr. (born November 17, 1946, in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American Democratic Party politician, who represented the 33rd Legislative District in the New Jersey State Senate from 1993 to 2008, after serving in the New Jers ...

when both Republicans and Democrats had 20 seats in the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

he previously 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 for ...

from 1995 to 1998. His son Tony Bucco was a member of the

and was named to succeed him in the State Senate.

Personal life

Bucco was born on February 24, 1938, and lived in the town of

Boonton Boonton is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 8,815, an increase of 468 (+5.6%) from the 2010 census count of 8,347, which in turn reflected a decline of 149 (− ...

for most of his life. He served in the

U.S. Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. Since July 20 ...

from 1957 until 1965. Bucco later resided in

Boonton Township, New Jersey Boonton Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 4,380, an increase of 117 (2.7%) from the 2010 census count of 4,263, which in turn reflected a de ...

. He married the former Helen Jayne in 1959 and had one son, Anthony Mark. On February 8, 2019, Bucco was diagnosed with

throat cancer Head and neck cancer develops from tissues in the lip and oral cavity (mouth), larynx (throat), salivary glands, nose, sinuses or the skin of the face. The most common types of head and neck cancers occur in the lip, mouth, and larynx. Symptoms ...

and was admitted to the hospital. On September 16, 2019, Bucco died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

at age 81.

Morris County politics

Bucco served in various local offices before entering the State Legislature. He served on the town of Boonton's Board of Aldermen from 1978 through 1983, served as the town's mayor from 1984 through 1989, and was elected to the Morris County

Board of Chosen Freeholders In New Jersey, a Board of County Commissioners (until 2020 named the Board of Chosen Freeholders) is the elected county-wide government board in each of the state's 21 counties. In the five counties that have an elected county executive, the b ...

from 1989 through 1992. Bucco also served on the steering committee of the Morris County Economic Development Commission.Senator Bucco's legislative web page

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...

. Accessed July 4, 2015.

New Jersey General Assembly

In the 2009 legislative elections, Anthony was elected to the seat in the General Assembly previously held by his father. Before entering the Senate, Bucco served in the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

, the

lower house A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...

of the New Jersey Legislature, from 1995 to 1998, where he served as Assistant Majority Whip from 1996 to 1998. Bucco was first selected by district Republican committee and sworn in January 1995, to fill the remainder of the unexpired term of Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, who resigned his Assembly seat following his election to

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

. During the unexpired term, he served alongside Arthur R. Albohn in the 25th district. In his first Republican primary, Bucco and running mate

Michael Patrick Carroll Michael Patrick Carroll (born April 8, 1958) is an American Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician from New Jersey. He represented the New Jersey's 25th legislative district, 25th Legislative District in the New Jersey Ge ...

defeated his successor in the Assembly

Rick Merkt Richard A. Merkt (born July 30, 1949) is an American Republican Party public official, attorney, and businessman who served from 1998 to 2010 in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 25th legislative district. In his sixth ter ...

and then-Freeholder

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Christie, who was born in Ne ...

along with two other candidates. Bucco and Carroll were easily elected in the general election and served one full two-year term.

New Jersey Senate

Elections

In the 1997 Senate election, Bucco defeated one-term

incumbent The incumbent is the current holder of an official, office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seek ...

Democratic Senator

Gordon MacInnes Gordon A. MacInnes (born December 4, 1941) is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who has served twice in the state Legislature. MacInnes was elected to the state Assembly in 1973 in a heavily Republican Morris County distr ...

. Democrat Rupande Mehta is challenging Bucco for the June 8, 2021 senate primary. Mehta also ran against Bucco in the 2020 general election.

Tenure

In the Senate Bucco has served as Assistant Majority Leader from 2000 to 2002, Majority Leader from 2002 to 2004, Leader Assistant Minority Leader from 2006 to 2008, Deputy Minority Leader from 2008 to 2010, Republican Budget Officer from 2010 to 2019; he served as Chair of the Republican Conference at the time of his death.

Committees

*Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens *Labor *Intergovernmental Relations

Electoral history

New Jersey Senate

New Jersey Assembly

References

External links

Senator Anthony Bucco's Official SiteSenator Bucco's legislative web page

*''New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms''
2016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bucco, Anthony 1938 births 2019 deaths American people of Italian descent Mayors of places in New Jersey Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly County commissioners in New Jersey Democratic Party New Jersey state senators People from Boonton, New Jersey People from Boonton Township, New Jersey 21st-century American politicians