Sean T. Kean
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 30th district
Assumed office
January 10, 2012
Preceded byRonald S. Dancer
Joseph R. Malone
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 11th district
In office
January 8, 2008 – January 10, 2012
Preceded byJoseph A. Palaia
Succeeded byJennifer 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 byThomas S. Smith
Succeeded byMary Pat Angelini
Dave Rible
Personal details
Born
Sean Thomas Kean[1]

(1963-05-21) May 21, 1963 (age 60)
Montclair, New Jersey
Political partyRepublican
SpouseBridget
ChildrenSean Jr., Terrence & Mary
ResidenceWall Township, New Jersey
Alma materSeton Hall University (BA, JD)
Columbia University (MALS)
OccupationAttorney
WebsiteLegislative webpage

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

Biography

Kean was born in Montclair, grew up in Deal and attended Red Bank Catholic High School.[2] He is of Irish heritage and has family ancestry in County Cork.[3][4]

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.[2][5] 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.[2][5] Prior to 1994, Kean had been registered a Democrat.[6]

Kean is a resident of Wall Township where he lives with his wife Bridget and triplets born in July 2012.[7][8] 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.[9]

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).[6] 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.[10]

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%.[11] 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.[12]

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).[13] In his current term in the Assembly, he is on the Consumer Affairs and Regulated Professions Committees.[5]

Committees

Committee assignments for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[5]

District 30

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.[14] The representatives from the 30th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[15]

Election history

2021 New Jersey general election[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sean T. Kean 54,541 36.8 Increase 0.5
Republican Edward H. Thomson 52,678 35.5 Increase 1.7
Democratic Stephen Dobbins 20,800 14.0 Decrease 0.4
Democratic Matthew Filosa 20,366 13.7 Decrease 0.1
Total votes 148,385 100.0
2019 New Jersey general election[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sean T. Kean 25,426 36.3 Increase 3.0
Republican Edward H. Thomson 23,662 33.8 Increase 3.5
Democratic Steven Farkas 10,063 14.4 Decrease 4.1
Democratic Yasin “Jason” Celik 9,666 13.8 Decrease 4.1
The Other Candidate Hank Schroeder 1,213 1.7 N/A
Total votes 70,030 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2017[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sean T. Kean 33,672 33.3 Decrease 1.2
Republican Edward H. Thomson III 30,680 30.3 Decrease 3.6
Democratic Kevin Scott 18,737 18.5 Increase 2.6
Democratic Eliot Arlo Colon 18,160 17.9 Increase 4.2
Total votes 101,249 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2015[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sean T. Kean 19,826 34.5 Decrease 3.7
Republican David P. Rible 19,459 33.9 Decrease 2.0
Democratic Jim Keady 9,148 15.9 Increase 2.5
Democratic Lorna Phillipson 7,867 13.7 Increase 1.2
Economic Growth Hank Schroeder 1,101 1.9 N/A
Total votes 57,401 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2013[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sean T. Kean 39,702 38.2 Increase 3.8
Republican David P. Rible 37,252 35.9 Increase 4.7
Democratic Jimmy Esposito 13,898 13.4 Decrease 3.5
Democratic Lorelei Rouvrais 12,967 12.5 Decrease 3.5
Total votes 103,819 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2011[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean T. Kean 22,889 34.4
Republican David P. Rible 20,728 31.2
Democratic Shaun O'Rourke 11,256 16.9
Democratic Howard Kleinhendler 10,639 16.0
Libertarian David Schneck 986 1.5
Total votes 66,498 100.0

References

  1. ^ Sean Thomas Kean, Member Attorney, LawyerDB.com. Accessed February 22, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey - Two Hundred and Eleventh Legislature (First Session) (PDF). Skinder-Strauss Associates. 2004. pp. 260–261. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Pizarro, Max (March 17, 2010). "Sean Kean and the Irish Riviera". Politicker NJ. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d Assemblyman Sean T. Kean, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2024.
  6. ^ a b 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.
  7. ^ Isherwood, Darryl (July 12, 2012). "Congrats to Assemblyman Sean Kean and family". Politicker NJ. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  8. ^ "Assemblyman Sean T. Kean". New Jersey Assembly Republicans. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  9. ^ Kean, Sean T. (April 17, 2008). "Delegates are the key to winning primary nomination". Legislative Matters - The Coast Star. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  10. ^ Assemblyman Kean's Legislative Website, New Jersey Legislature. From Internet Archive backup taken June 15, 2007. Accessed January 13, 2008.
  11. ^ "Sean Kean wins Senate seat in 11th District race". Atlanticville. November 21, 2007. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Senator Sean T. Kean (R)". New Jersey Legislature. Archived from the original on April 6, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  15. ^ Legislative Roster for District 30, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2024.
  16. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  17. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2019 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. December 2, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  18. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2017 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  19. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly for GENERAL ELECTION 11/03/2015 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  20. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly for GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2013 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  21. ^ "Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly for November 2011 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.

External links

New Jersey Senate Preceded byJoseph A. Palaia Member of the New Jersey Senate for the 11th District January 8, 2008 – January 10, 2012 Succeeded byJennifer Beck New Jersey General Assembly Preceded byRonald S. DancerJoseph R. Malone Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 30th District January 10, 2012 – present With: David Rible, Ned Thomson Succeeded byIncumbent Preceded byThomas S. Smith Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 11th District October 28, 2002 – January 8, 2008 With: Steve Corodemus Succeeded byMary Pat AngeliniDavid Rible
Members of the New Jersey General Assembly
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