Tim Eustace

Tim Eustace
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 38th district
Assumed office
January 10, 2012
Serving with Joseph Lagana
Preceded by Joan Voss
Mayor of Maywood, New Jersey
In office
January 1, 2008  December 31, 2011
Preceded by Lorraine LaPietra
Succeeded by Gregg A. Padovano
Personal details
Born Timothy James Eustace
(1956-12-27) December 27, 1956
Passaic, New Jersey
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Kevin J. Williams (m. 2013-2015; Williams' death)
Children two
Residence Maywood, New Jersey
Alma mater Ramapo College (B.S.)
Religion Episcopalianism
Website Legislative homepage

Timothy James Eustace, commonly known as Tim Eustace (born December 27, 1956) is an American chiropractor and Democratic Party politician from Maywood, New Jersey who is a member of the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 38th Legislative District since 2012.[1]

Early life

Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Eustace attended Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, graduating in 1974. In 1978, he earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey. Attending Pennsylvania College of Chiropractic, Eustace earned a doctorate in 1985 and became a licensed chiropractor. He has also served as president of Maywood's chamber of commerce and the local Rotary Club. Eustace is openly gay; he was together with his partner and later husband Kevin Williams, director of the Maywood Rotary Kenya Project, for 34 years and they raised two children together before Williams' death in June 2015.[2][3]

Eustace and his husband were among the first gay couples to adopt children in New Jersey.[4]

Political career

A Democrat, he served four years as mayor of Maywood (2008–2012), three years as borough council president (2005–2008) and a decade on the borough council (1995–1997 and 2001–2008).

His election in 2011, following the redrawing of the legislative map, made him the first openly gay person elected to the New Jersey Legislature as a non-incumbent. He joined Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, who came out while in office and has subsequently won re-election, in the legislature. Eustace's assembly campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.[5]

Eustace sought re-election in 2013 and the district was a top target for both parties, which together spent $5.8 million on the campaign for the district's three seats, one of the highest spending amounts of any legislative race in state history. Eustace was narrowly re-elected after a recount confirmed that he had beaten Republican Joseph Scarpa by 35 votes in a contest that drew approximately 52,000 voters.[6]

In the Assembly, Eustace serves on the Regulatory Oversight Committee (as Vice-Chair), the Health and Senior Services Committee, and the State and Local Government Committee.[7]

District 38

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 38th District for the 2014-2015 Legislative Session are:[8]

References

  1. Susan Joy Clark (November 16, 2011). "Eustace is ready to take on challenge of assembly seat". Herald News.
  2. "Tim Eustace for Assembly - D38". Democratic Committee of Bergen County.
  3. Bonamo, Mark. "R.I.P. Kevin J. Williams, husband of Assemblyman Eustace". Politicker NJ. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  4. Gracey, Lorraine. "Gay Couple's Move to Adopt Children With AIDS Stirs Debate", The New York Times, October 15, 1989. Accessed August 13, 2015.
  5. Dison, Denis. "N.J. adds an openly gay state legislator", Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, November 8, 2011. Accessed August 17, 2015. "Mayor Tim Eustace of Maywood, N.J., has been elected to the New Jersey Assembly tonight, becoming the first openly gay non-incumbent to win a seat in the legislature."
  6. Ensslin, John C.; and Alvarado, Monsy. "Recounts: Eustace re-elected to NJ Assembly, results stand in Englewood Cliffs and Ridgefield", The Record (Bergen County), December 13, 2013. Accessed August 17, 2015. "Final recount results Thursday from a tight race in Legislative District 38 confirmed that Assemblyman Tim Eustace, D-Maywood, has won election to a second term.... The District 38 battle was one of the most competitive and most expensive in the state’s history with a total of $5.8 million being spent by both sides."
  7. "Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D)". New Jersey Legislature. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  8. District 38, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed August 10, 2015.
New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by
Joan Voss
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 38th District
January 10, 2012 – present
With: Connie Wagner, Paul Contillo, Joseph Lagana
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Lorraine LaPietra
Mayor of Maywood, New Jersey
January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2011
Succeeded by
Gregg A. Padovano
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