Teresa Ruiz (politician)

Maria Teresa Ruiz (born June 28, 1974) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has represented the 29th Legislative District in the New Jersey State Senate since taking office on January 8, 2008. She has served as the Senate Majority Leader since 2022, becoming the first Latina to lead either the Assembly or Senate, after succeeding Loretta Weinberg upon her retirement from the Senate.[1]

For the actress, see Teresa Ruiz (actress).

Teresa Ruiz
Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate
Assumed office
January 11, 2022
Preceded byLoretta Weinberg
President pro tempore of the New Jersey Senate
In office
January 9, 2018 – January 11, 2022
Preceded byNia Gill
Succeeded bySandra Bolden Cunningham
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 29th district
Assumed office
January 8, 2008
Preceded bySharpe James
Personal details
Born
Maria Teresa Ruiz

(1974-06-28) June 28, 1974
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationDrew University (BA)
WebsiteLegislative webpage

Education

Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Ruiz graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School.[2]

In 1998, Ruiz received a B.A. from Drew University in English.[3]

New Jersey Senate

With Sharpe James not running for re-election to the Senate seat in the 29th District, Ruiz won the support of Cory Booker and James' son.[4] Ruiz won the June 2007 Democratic primary, running unopposed.[5] In the November 2007 general election, Ruiz and her Assembly running mates Alberto Coutinho and L. Grace Spencer won the three seats from the district. Ruiz won with 57.8% of the vote, defeating five other candidates, including Democrats-running-as independents Luis Quintana (with 15.9%) in second place and William D. Payne (with 15.7%) who came in third.[6][7]

Ruiz took office in the Senate in January 2008.

Committees

Committee assignments for the current session are:[3]

  • Legislative Oversight, Vice-Chair
  • Joint Budget Oversight
  • Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity
  • Budget and Appropriations

District 29

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.[8] The representatives from the 29th District for the 2022—23 Legislative Session are:[9]

Election history
2021 New Jersey general election[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Teresa Ruiz 20,706 100.0 Increase 12.7
Total votes 20,706 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2017[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Teresa Ruiz 20,506 87.3 Increase 9.0
Republican Maria E. Lopez 2,547 10.8 Decrease 6.9
One Nation Pablo Olivera 449 1.9 Decrease 2.0
Total votes 23,502 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2013[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Teresa Ruiz 16,078 78.3 Decrease 3.9
Republican Raafat Barsoom 3,636 17.7 Increase 3.2
Unity Is Strength Pablo Olivera 808 3.9 N/A
Total votes 20,522 100.0
2011 New Jersey general election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Teresa Ruiz 9,076 82.2
Republican Aracelis Sanabria Tejada 1,598 14.5
Independent Laurie J. Taylor 363 3.3
Total votes 11,037 100.0
2007 New Jersey general election[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Teresa Ruiz 10,816 57.2 Decrease 25.5
"The People's Choice" Luis A. Quintana 3,687 19.5 N/A
Independent-Experienced-Unbossed William D. Payne 3,653 19.3 N/A
Republican Al-Samar Douglas 547 2.9 N/A
Pro Life Conservative Dick Hester 123 0.7 N/A
Socialist Workers Sara J. Lobman 96 0.5 Decrease 4.4
Total votes 18,922 100.0

References
  1. Johnson, Brent. "Essex County lawmaker set to make history by succeeding Weinberg as Democratic N.J. Senate leader", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 28, 2021. Accessed March 17, 2022. "State Sen. Teresa Ruiz is the choice of top Democrats to take over for retiring Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg when the next legislative session begins in January, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney announced Thursday. That will maker her the first Latina to serve in a top leadership post in either house of the New Jersey Legislature."
  2. "Newark Lifetimes: Jose Linares & Teresa Ruiz", Newark Pulse, September 7, 2016. Accessed March 17, 2022. "New Jersey State Senator Teresa Ruiz was born in Newark, and attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School before earning her B.A. in English at Drew University."
  3. Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  4. "Sharpe James’ son backs Ruiz for Senate", The New York Observer, March 27, 2007. Accessed March 17, 2022. "A clear sign that Sharpe James has no intention of seeking re-election to a fourth term in the State Senate this year: his son, John Sharpe James, today endorsed Teresa Ruiz for the 29th district Senate seat. Ruiz, who has the backing of James' rival, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, faces Assemblyman William Payne in the June Democratic primary."
  5. Chen, David W. "Voters Send Mixed Signals to Democratic Organization in New Jersey Primaries", The New York Times, June 6, 2007. Accessed March 17, 2022. "One candidate supported by Mr. Booker, M. Teresa Ruiz, ran unopposed in capturing the State Senate nomination for the 29th District. But she will face a stiff challenge in the fall from Assemblyman William D. Payne. He is a member of a powerful family of elected officials whose power runs from Washington to the streets of the Central Ward, and he is running as an independent."
  6. Jacobs, Andrew. "Three Win, With Big Muscle", The New York Times, November 11, 2007. Accessed March 17, 2022. "After the votes were counted on election night, three up-and-comers stood triumphantly on the stage of a gaudy wedding hall here celebrating their victory in state legislative races in the 29th District, which includes most of Newark and the neighboring Township of Hillside.... 'We are making history tonight,' said Ms. Ruiz, who won a six-way race with 57 percent of the vote.... The losers were two stalwarts on Newark’s political landscape: Assemblyman William D. Payne, the brother of United States Representative Donald M. Payne, and Luis Quintana, a Newark City Council member who was once a sure vote-getter among the growing Hispanic electorate."
  7. "Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2007 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  8. New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  9. Legislative Roster for District 29, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2022.
  10. "Official List, Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  11. "Official List, Candidates for State Senate 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.
  12. "Official List, Candidates for State Senate 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 6, 2016.
  13. "Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2011 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
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