Patrick J. Diegnan

Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (born March 19, 1949) is an American Democratic Party politician who has represented the 18th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate since 2016.

Patrick Diegnan
Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 18th District
Assumed office
May 9, 2016
Preceded byPeter J. Barnes III
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 18th District
In office
January 8, 2002 – May 9, 2016
Preceded byBarbara Buono
Succeeded byRobert Karabinchak
Personal details
Born (1949-03-19) March 19, 1949
South Plainfield, New Jersey
Political partyDemocratic Party
SpouseAnita Carchia Diegnan
ChildrenTwo
WebsiteLegislative Website

Early life

The youngest of seven children born to immigrants from Ireland, Diegnan was born and raised in South Plainfield, attending Sacred Heart Grammar School and then graduating from South Plainfield High School in 1966.[1][2] Residents of South Plainfield, Diegnan and his wife Anita have been married since 1976 and have two children, Heather and Tara, along with a grandchild.[3][4][5] Diegnan received a B.A. from Seton Hall University in Political Science / Government in 1970 and was awarded a J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law in 1973.[3][5] Currently, Diegnan is an attorney in private practice in South Plainfield and is a member of the New Jersey and Middlesex County Bar Associations since 1974. He is also a former instructor of law and accounting at Middlesex County College.[3] Diegnan is currently the borough attorney for Spotswood and formerly served as borough attorney for South Plainfield and Milltown.[5][6][7][8]

New Jersey Assembly

Diegnan was first elected to represent the 18th District in 2001 replacing Barbara Buono who had been elected to the New Jersey Senate. He was re-elected to seven more two-year terms. Diegnan served in the Assembly as Deputy Speaker (2008-2016) and Parliamentarian (2005-2016), and was Chairman of the Education Committee and a member of the Regulated Professions and Consumer Affairs Committees.[9]

New Jersey Senate

Diegnan was selected by local Democratic committee members to receive appointment to the 18th District's Senate seat on May 5, 2016, after previous seat holder Peter J. Barnes III was appointed to a judgeship on the New Jersey Superior Court.[10] Sworn into office on May 9, Diegnan won election to the remainder of the term in November, defeating retired judge and former Middlesex County Freeholder Roger W. Daley.[11][12]

Committees
  • Transportation
  • Joint Committee on Public Schools
  • Budget and Appropriation

District 18

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 18th District for the 2022—23 Legislative Session are:[13]

Legislative accomplishments

Diegnan was the primary sponsor of Assembly Bill 3331, introduced in 2003, which creates the certification of Technology Education for teachers.[14] In 2011, he was the primary sponsor of Assembly Bill 3852, which requires voter approval at the annual school election or by the board of school estimate before a new charter school can be authorized to operate in a district.[15] Under the existing system, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education can grant charters regardless of community opinion, with Diegnan noting that allowing voters and local boards of education a say in the granting of new schools would "help ensure that the charter schools that are created fit the needs of the community". The bill passed in the Assembly in June 2011 by a 47-17 margin.[16]

Electoral history

New Jersey Senate
New Jersey general election, 2017[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. 32,175 65.6 Increase 3.9
Republican Lewis Glogower 16,860 34.4 Decrease 3.9
Total votes '49,035' '100.0'
Special election, November 8, 2016[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. 50,537 61.7 Increase 9.8
Republican Roger W. Daley 31,321 38.3 Decrease 9.8
Total votes '81,858' '100.0'

New Jersey Assembly
New Jersey general election, 2015[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. 16,256 31.9 Increase 4.8
Democratic Nancy Pinkin 16,113 31.6 Increase 5.4
Republican Teresa Rose Hutchison 9,432 18.5 Decrease 4.8
Republican Synnove Bakke 9,123 17.9 Decrease 4.4
Total votes '50,924' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2013[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. 24,996 27.1 Decrease 1.3
Democratic Nancy Pinkin 24,186 26.2 Decrease 2.4
Republican Robert A. Bengivenga Jr. 21,517 23.3 Increase 1.3
Republican Lisa Goldhammer 20,559 22.3 Increase 1.3
United We Stand Sheila Angalet 1,068 1.2 N/A
Total votes '92,326' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2011[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Peter J. Barnes, III 18,166 28.6
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. 18,050 28.4
Republican Joseph Sinagra 13,996 22.0
Republican Marcia Silva 13,333 21.0
Total votes 63,545 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2009[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Peter J. Barnes 26,658 25.9 Decrease 2.5
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr 26,317 25.6 Decrease 3.2
Republican Joseph Sinagra 24,091 23.4 Increase 1.8
Republican Robert Jones 22,727 22.1 Increase 0.9
Defending Forgotten Taxpayers Katherine Shkolar 1,671 1.6 N/A
Defending Forgotten Taxpayers Andrew Tidd 1,351 1.3 N/A
Total votes '102,815' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2007[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan Jr 18,858 28.8 Decrease 0.3
Democratic Peter J. Barnes III 18,621 28.4 Decrease 2.4
Republican Joseph Sinagra 14,121 21.6 Increase 1.5
Republican William England 13,921 21.2 Increase 1.2
Total votes '65,521' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2005[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Peter J. Barnes Jr 31,605 30.8 Increase 1.2
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan Jr 29,874 29.1 Increase 2.4
Republican Daniel Epstein 20,639 20.1 Decrease 2.9
Republican Frank J. Coury 20,530 20.0 Decrease 0.7
Total votes '102,648' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2003[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Peter J. Barnes Jr 18,032 29.6 Decrease 3.4
Democratic Patrick J. Diegnan Jr 16,255 26.7 Decrease 4.4
Republican Robert D. Thuring 13,994 23.0 Increase 4.7
Republican Jasal Amin 12,636 20.7 Increase 3.1
Total votes '60,917' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2001[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Peter J. Barnes Jr 32,633 33.0
Democratic Patrick Diegnan Jr 30,759 31.1
Republican Norman J. Van Houten 18,152 18.3
Republican Sylvester Fernandez 17,443 17.6
Total votes 98,987 100.0

References
  1. "Meet the Leaders - Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr.", TAP into South Plainfield, August 9, 2014. Accessed November 19, 2017. "I was born and raised in South Plainfield. My mother and father were immigrants from Ireland and raised seven children (I am the youngest). I graduated from Sacred Heart Grammar School and South Plainfield High School."
  2. Assembly Member Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 12, 2007.
  3. Biography, Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  4. "Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. Bio Page". NJ Assembly Majority Office. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  5. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey - Two Hundred and Eleventh Legislature (First Session) (PDF). Skinder-Strauss Associates. 2004. p. 270. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  6. "Borough Directory". Borough of Spotswood. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  7. Kaltwasser, Jared (December 5, 2008). "South Plainfield Republicans planning to file malpractice suit against ex-borough attorney". Courier News. Retrieved September 5, 2015. Diegnan was borough attorney for 25 years before retiring that post in 2007. He also is a Democratic state assemblyman...
  8. Smith, Jessica (January 10, 2008). "New-look Boro Council vows to bring integrity". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015. He replaces state Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-18), who served as borough attorney for several years.
  9. Assemblyman Diegnan's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  10. Makin, Cheryl (May 9, 2016). "Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. sworn in as NJ state Senator". myCentralJersey.com. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  11. Tyrrell, Joe (November 3, 2016). "OLD HANDS SEEK TO KEEP GRIP ON 18TH AND 29TH DISTRICTS". NJSpotlight. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  12. "Official List, Candidates for State Senate for GENERAL ELECTION 11/08/2016 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  13. Legislative Roster for District 18, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2022.
  14. 210th Legislature Assembly Bill 3331, New Jersey Legislature, introduced February 13, 2003. Accessed April 22, 2008.
  15. 214th Legislature Assembly Bill 3852, New Jersey Legislature, introduced February 22, 2011. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  16. Calefati, Jessica. "New N.J. bills could halt growth of charter schools in suburbs, expand in unwelcome areas", The Star-Ledger, June 29, 2011. Accessed July 11, 2011. "One bill (A3852), sponsored by Education Committee Chairman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), would require voter approval before charters could open in unwelcoming communities. It was approved, 47-17, with 14 abstentions.... 'Community support is crucial in strengthening the establishment of charter schools,' Diegnan said. 'Local input will help ensure that the charter schools that are created fit the needs of the community, thereby strengthening the entire public education system.' Taxpayers currently have no say over where charter schools are located and opposition to their growth in high performing suburban districts has been mounting in recent months because the state Department of Education is reviewing applications to open new charters."
  17. "2017-official-general-election-results-state-senate.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  18. "2016-official-general-results-state-senate-18ld.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  19. "2015-official-ge-results-nj-general-assembly.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  20. "2013-official-general-election-results-general-assembly.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  21. "2011-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-results-121411.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 14, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  22. "2009-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-tallies-120109.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  23. "2007-official-general-election-tallies(ga)-12.12.07.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  24. "05831236.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  25. "2003g_a_candidate_tally.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  26. "2001-general-elect-gen-assembly-tallies.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
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