Erik K. Simonsen
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Erik K. Simonsen (born 1968 or 1969) is an American musician and Republican Party politician[2] who has represented the 1st Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 14, 2020, after defeating incumbent Assemblymen R. Bruce Land and Matthew W. Milam in the 2019 general election. Simonsen served as Mayor of Lower Township from 2016 until 2020.
Matthew W. Milam
Erik Simonsen | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 1st district | |
| Assumed office January 14, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | R. Bruce Land Matthew W. Milam |
| Mayor of Lower Township | |
| In office 2016–2020 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Beck |
| Succeeded by | Frank Sippel |
| Member of the Lower Township Council from the 3rd ward | |
| In office November 11, 2013 – 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Jackie Henderson |
| Succeeded by | Roland A. Roy, Jr. |
| Member of the Lower Township Council from the 2nd ward | |
| In office 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Wayne Mazurek |
| Succeeded by | Walt Craig |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1968 or 1969 (age 57–58) |
| Party | Republican |
| The College of New Jersey Rutgers University University of Scranton[1] | |
| Website | Legislative Webpage |
Simonsen is the athletic director at Lower Cape May Regional High School.[3]
New Jersey Assembly
Simonsen ran as a team with Mike Testa for Senate and Antwan McClellan for Assembly. During the campaign, the team made immigration and taxes a key part of their campaign. He, alongside Testa and McClellan, ousted the 1st District's legislators, Senator Bob Andrzejczak, Assemblymen R. Bruce Land and Matthew W. Milam.[4] Their victories were the only gains Republicans made in the 2019 New Jersey elections.[5]
Tenure
Simonsen was sworn into office on January 14, 2020, when the 219th New Jersey Legislature convened.
Committee assignments
- Community Development and Affairs
- Education
- State and Local Government
- Joint Committee on the Public Schools
District 1
New Jersey's 1st Legislative District encompasses parts of Atlantic County, Cumberland County, and all of Cape May County. 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 representatives from the 1st District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[6]
- Senator Mike Testa (R)
- Assemblyman Antwan McClellan (R)
- Assemblyman Erik K. Simonsen (R)
Electoral history
General Assembly
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Simonsen (incumbent) | 27,976 | 31.8 | |
| Republican | Antwan McClellan (incumbent) | 27,603 | 31.3 | |
| Democratic | Damita White-Morris | 16,257 | 18.5 | |
| Democratic | Eddie L. Bonner | 16,228 | 18.4 | |
| Total votes | 88,064 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Simonsen (incumbent) | 40,803 | 31.61% | |
| Republican | Antwan McClellan (incumbent) | 40,405 | 31.30% | |
| Democratic | John P. Capizola Jr. | 23,818 | 18.45% | |
| Democratic | Julia L. Hankerson | 23,055 | 17.86% | |
| Libertarian | Michael Gallo | 589 | 0.46% | |
| Libertarian | Jacob Selwood | 399 | 0.31% | |
| Total votes | 129,069 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Simonsen | 27,304 | 27.15% | |
| Republican | Antwan McClellan | 26,264 | 26.11% | |
| Democratic | Bruce Land (Incumbent) | 23,778 | 23.64% | |
| Democratic | Matthew W. Milam (Incumbent) | 23,234 | 23.10% | |
| Total votes | 100,508 | 100.0% | ||
Lower Township Council
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Simonsen | 7,104 | 98.52% | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Simonsen | 1,390 | 61.67% | |
| Independent | Glenn Douglass | 473 | 20.98% | |
| Independent | Thomas F. Will | 329 | 14.60% | |
| Independent | George F. Doherty | 59 | 2.62% | |
| Total votes | 2,251 | 99.87% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Erik Simonsen | 1,401 | 98.66% | |