Mike Pappas

Michael James Pappas (born December 29, 1960) is an American politician and former one term Republican congressman from New Jersey, serving from 1997 to 1999. He is currently the Township Administrator in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He was an unsuccessful candidate for State Senator in New Jersey's 16th legislative district in the 2021 election. In November 2022, Pappas announced he was running for the State Senate again.[1]

Mike Pappas
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 12th district
In office
January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999
Preceded byDick Zimmer
Succeeded byRush Holt
Personal details
Born
Michael James Pappas

(1960-12-29) December 29, 1960
New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceFranklin Township, New Jersey
Alma materSeton Hall University (BA)

Early life and education

Pappas, a Greek American, was born in 1960 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Alma Preparatory School in Zarephath, New Jersey, and attended Seton Hall University.

Political career

He got into politics in the early 1980s, becoming a member of the Franklin Township township council where he served from 1982 to 1987, including two years as mayor. He later would be elected to the Board of Chosen Freeholders for Somerset County, and served from 1984 to 1996, alongside future Governor Christine Todd Whitman, who was also a Freeholder during portions of that time.[2]

Congress
Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich swears in Pappas in 1997 during the ceremonial swearing in
Pappas meets with Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman and fellow New Jersey Republican Representatives Frank LoBiondo (2nd district) and Jim Saxton (3rd district) in 1997.

In 1996, Pappas ran for the House of Representatives in New Jersey's 12th congressional district. The incumbent, Republican Dick Zimmer, gave up his seat to run for the U.S. Senate that year. Pappas won the Republican primary, defeating State Senator John O. Bennett and Assemblyman (and future 7th district Representative) Leonard Lance. He then won the general election against Lambertville Mayor David DelVecchio.

Unlike most New Jersey Republicans, Pappas was a staunch conservative. His congressional service included pushing for a stronger national defense, the elimination of the capital gains tax, advocacy for small business, securing the release of the battleship USS New Jersey to the state of New Jersey as a museum, and resurrecting the controversial "Star Wars" national missile defense.

He was a strong supporter of the impeachment of Bill Clinton, and his infamous singing of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Kenneth Starr" on the House floor[3] contributed to his defeat by Rush Holt in 1998.[4][5]

In 2000, Pappas unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for his old congressional seat, losing a highly contentious primary to the more moderate Zimmer by 62 to 38% margin. Holt narrowly defeated Zimmer in the general election to retain his seat.

Later career

During the George W. Bush administration, Pappas worked for the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. He moved back to New Jersey in 2009 after Bush's presidency ended.

In June 2016, Pappas was hired as the Borough Administrator of High Bridge, New Jersey.[6] In December 2019, Pappas was named by Bridgewater Mayor-elect Matt Moench to be the municipality's next Township Administrator.[7]

State Senate campaign

In 2021, Pappas announced that he would be running for the Republican nomination for State Senate in New Jersey's 16th legislative district. The incumbent, Christopher "Kip" Bateman, a moderate Republican who barely won re-election in 2017, decided to retire. The 16th district had previously been a safe Republican district, but after re-districting in 2011, it became a swing district after the removal of Bridgewater and the addition of Princeton. Both of its Assembly seats flipped from red to blue during the 2010s decade. In the early stages of the race, he again competed against Zimmer, who, like Pappas, was also making his first run for political office in over a decade. After Pappas won the organization line for Somerset County, a large part of the 16th district, Zimmer dropped out of the race.[8] Pappas won the Republican primary in June 2021.[9][10][11] He lost the general election to Democrat Andrew Zwicker, the district's state assemblyman in November 2021.

Electoral history
12th District Republican House Primary, 1996[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Pappas 11,069 38.1
Republican John Bennett 9,894 34.0
Republican Leonard Lance 7,630 26.2
Republican Luis De Agustin 481 1.7
Total votes 29,074 100.0
12th District House general election, 1996[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Pappas 135,811 50.4
Democratic David M. Del Vecchio 125,594 46.7
Independent Virginia A. Flynn 3,955 1.5
Independent Joseph M. Mercurio 2,650 1.0
Independent Philip G. Cenicola 1,211 0.4
Total votes 269,221 100.0
12th District House general election, 1998[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rush Holt 92,528 50.1
Republican Mike Pappas 87,221 47.2
Libertarian Joseph A. Siano 2,125 1.2
Green Madelyn R. Hoffman 1,409 0.8
Reform Beverly Kidder 749 0.4
Natural Law Mary Jo Christian 578 0.3
Total votes 184,610 100.0
12th District Republican House Primary, 2000[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dick Zimmer 19,084 62.0
Republican Mike Pappas 11,692 38.0
Total votes 30,776 100.0
16th District State Senate Republican Primary, 2021[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Michael Pappas 7,146 64.5
Republican Jeffrey Grant 3,934 35.5
Total votes 11,080 100.0
16th District State Senate General Election, 2021[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Andrew Zwicker 41,837 53.32
Republican Michael Pappas 36,632 46.68
Total votes 78,469 100.0

References
  1. "Pappas enters race to challenge Zwicker". 16 November 2022.
  2. Wildstein, David (February 8, 2021). "Ex-Congressman Pappas mulls State Senate bid for Bateman seat". New Jersey Globe. Sea of Reeds Media. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  3. Beiler, David. "Twinkle, twinkle Kenneth Starr: how physicist Rush Holt used the Clinton scandal to oust a Republican congressman - includes related article on Rush Holt Sr", Campaigns & Elections, May 1999. Accessed August 6, 2007. "On the occasion of Clinton special prosecutor Ken Starr's 52nd birthday, Pappas decided to commemorate the event in song, on the House floor. Following the melody of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," Pappas crooned (or more accurately, croaked):"
  4. "The song that changed New Jersey". 13 April 2000.
  5. Peterson, Iver (5 November 1998). "THE 1998 ELECTIONS: THE REGION -- NEW JERSEY; an Upset is Traced, in Part, to a Partisan Song". The New York Times.
  6. Staff. "Former Congressman Mike Pappas named new High Bridge administrator", Hunterdon Review, June 23, 2016; accessed August 31, 2016. "The borough has hired Michael Pappas as part-time administrator, replacing the recently exited John Gregory."
  7. Deak, Mike (December 2, 2019). "Former NJ congressman Mike Pappas named Bridgewater Township administrator". Courier News. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  8. "Former congressman Mike Pappas will run for State Senate". New Jersey Globe. Sea of Reeds Media. February 17, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  9. "Pappas wins GOP Senate nod in District 16". 9 June 2021.
  10. "Pappas Wins GOP Nomination for District 16 Senate Race, AP Says". 9 June 2021.
  11. "Zwicker and Pappas will Face off in General Election for LD 16 State Senate Seat".
  12. "Official List, Primary Election Returns for the Office of U.S. House of Representatives for Election Held June 4, 1996" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. July 2, 1996. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  13. "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
  14. "Official List, 1998 Election Candidates for House of Representatives" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. August 31, 1998. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  15. "Official List, Candidate Returns for House of Representatives for June 2000 Primary Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. April 17, 2008. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  16. "Official List: Candidates for State Senate for Primary Election 06/08/2021 (PDF)" (PDF). State of New Jersey. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  17. "Official List, Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 06/08/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
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