Craig Coughlin

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Craig Coughlin

| office1 = 171st Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly

| term_start1 = January 9, 2018

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Vincent Prieto

| successor1 =

| state_assembly2 = New Jersey

| district2 = 19th

| alongside2 = Yvonne Lopez

| term_start2 = January 12, 2010

| term_end2 =

| predecessor2 = Joseph Vas

| successor2 =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|1|31}}

| birth_place = Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Letitia Coughlin

| children = 3

| education = St. John's University (BS, JD)

| website = {{URL|https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-roster/319/assemblyman-coughlin|Legislative website}}

| image = ESGR recognizes N.J. Assembly Speaker (cropped).jpg

}}

Craig John Coughlin (born January 31, 1958) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has represented the 19th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2010. He has served as the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly since 2018, making him the longest-serving Speaker in the history of the General Assembly.

Early life

Born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Coughlin grew up in South Amboy and graduated from South Amboy Middle High School in 1976.Mack, Lonnie. [https://www.newspapers.com/image/316512883/ "Hoffman gets an 'A'"], The Home News, June 2, 1976. Accessed January 24, 2022, via Newspapers.com. Coughlin received a B.S. degree in 1980 from St. John's University and a J.D. degree in 1983 from St. John's University School of Law.[https://books.google.com/books?id=m5xDAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Craig+J.+Coughlin%22+1958 Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, 2010], p. 273. Accessed January 24, 2022. "Craig J. Coughlin, Dem., Woodbridge: Assemblyman Coughlin was born Jan. 31. 1958, in Perth Amboy. He attended public schools in South Amboy and graduated summa cum laude from St. John's University in 1980. He received a law degree from St. John's University School of Law in 1983."

He served on the Board of Education of the South Amboy Public Schools from 1983 to 1987. In 1987 he was elected to the South Amboy City Council, serving until 1993.[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-roster/319/assemblyman-coughlin Assemblyman Craig J. Coughlin (D)], New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2022.{{cite web |url=http://www.assemblydems.com/memberbio.asp?RosterKey=319 |title=Assemblyman Craig J. Coughlin Bio Page |publisher=NJ Assembly Majority Office |access-date=2015-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504090652/http://www.assemblydems.com/memberbio.asp?RosterKey=319 |archive-date=May 4, 2018 |url-status=dead }} He worked as an attorney before serving as a municipal court judge for Edison in 2005. He lived in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey and his children attended the Woodbridge Township School District.

Controversy

In 2016, shortly after attaining the position of Assembly Speaker, Coughlin formed the law firm Rainone Coughlin Minchello. Coughlin's firm includes four other attorneys who had worked for Decotiis FitzPatrick & Cole LLP, providing legal services to municipal and county governments totaling $14 million in FY2016. As of 2017, Coughlin's firm secured contracts with dozens of local municipalities totaling over $1 million.{{cite web | last=Friedman | first=Matt | title=Coughlin's new law firm doing brisk business with local governments | website=Politico PRO | date=2017-10-06 | url=https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2017/10/06/coughlins-new-law-firm-does-brisk-business-with-local-governments-114914 | access-date=2021-06-25}}

Coughlin's law firm currently provides for-profit legal counsel to the Middlesex County Improvement Authority,{{cite web | title=NJ Transit's first new station in years risks adding congestion | website=Crain's New York Business | date=2019-11-26 | url=https://www.crainsnewyork.com/transportation/nj-transits-first-new-station-years-risks-adding-congestion | access-date=2021-06-25}} and in 2020 acquired a $150,000 public contract with North Brunswick to fulfill the position of Municipal Attorney.{{Cite web |url=https://northbrunswicknj.gov/images/council/council-docs/2020/Agenda_2020_1_1_Meeting.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 11, 2020 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930072601/https://northbrunswicknj.gov/images/council/council-docs/2020/Agenda_2020_1_1_Meeting.pdf |url-status=dead }}

The Middlesex County Improvement Authority was awarded a $70 million contract by NJ Transit to manage the North Brunswick train station project. In a statement made to Bloomberg News, Coughlin denied any conflicts of interest or "involvement with respect to Middlesex County’s or the improvement authority’s discussions with the state concerning North Brunswick transit village and never had any intention of performing any work in connection with this project."{{cite web|author=Elise Young |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-26/nj-transit-s-first-new-station-in-years-risks-adding-congestion |title=NJ Transit's First New Station in Years Risks Adding Congestion |publisher=Bloomberg |date=2019-11-26 |accessdate=2021-06-25}}

New Jersey Assembly

He resigned from the court in 2009 to run for the General Assembly seat vacated by Joseph Vas, after the Democratic candidate, South Amboy Mayor John O'Leary, dropped out of the race. On September 8, 2009, a special convention of Middlesex County Democratic Committee members selected Coughlin to appear on the general election ballot along with running mate John Wisniewski.{{cite news|title=Coughlin wins vote to run for Assembly |url=http://ws.gmnews.com/news/2009-09-09/Front_page/001b09.html |work=Woodbridge Sentinel |date=2009-09-09 |access-date=2010-01-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711102431/http://ws.gmnews.com/news/2009-09-09/Front_page/001b09.html |archive-date=2011-07-11 }}

Coughlin won the general election and was sworn into office on January 12, 2010.{{cite news |title=Wisniewski and Coughlin take their seats in state Assembly |url=http://ws.gmnews.com/news/2010-01-20/Front_Page/Wisniewski_and_Coughlin_take_their_seats_in_state_.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110711102446/http://ws.gmnews.com/news/2010-01-20/Front_Page/Wisniewski_and_Coughlin_take_their_seats_in_state_.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-11 |work=Woodbridge Sentinel |date=2010-01-20 |access-date=2010-01-23 }} On November 13, 2017, was selected by the Assembly Democratic Conference to be Speaker of the Assembly starting in January 2018 when the new legislative term begins.{{cite web|url=http://observer.com/2017/11/coughlin-rolls-out-leadership-team-some-priorities/|title=Coughlin Rolls Out Leadership Team, Some Priorities|website=Observer|date=November 13, 2017 |access-date=2018-05-03}}

= District 19 =

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.[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/constitution New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II], New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022. The representatives from the 19th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-roster?district=19 Legislative Roster for District 19], New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 23, 2024.

Senator Joe F. Vitale (D)
Assemblyman Craig Coughlin (D)
Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D)

= Electoral history =

{{Election box begin no change

|title = 19th Legislative District General Election, 2023{{Cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2023/2023-official-general-results-general-assembly.pdf |title=Candidates for General Assembly - For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2023 Election |publisher=New Jersey Department of State |access-date=December 6, 2023}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Craig J. Coughlin (incumbent)

| votes = 18,808

| percentage = 31.4

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Yvonne Lopez (incumbent)

| votes = 18,254

| percentage = 30.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Marilyn Colon

| votes = 11,496

| percentage = 19.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Sam Raval

| votes = 10,740

| percentage = 17.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Libertarian Party (United States)

| candidate = David Diez

| votes = 619

| percentage = 1.0

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 59,917

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change

|title = New Jersey general election, 2021{{cite web |title=Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election |url=https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2021/2021-official-general-results-general-assembly.pdf |publisher=Secretary of State of New Jersey |access-date=December 12, 2021 |date=November 30, 2021}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Craig Coughlin (Incumbent)

| votes = 26,529

| percentage = 29.15

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Yvonne Lopez (Incumbent)

| votes = 26,057

| percentage = 28.63

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Anthony "Tony" Gallo

| votes = 19,337

| percentage = 21.24

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Bruce Banko

| votes = 19,098

| percentage = 20.98

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 91,021

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 19th Legislative District General Election, 2019{{cite web|title=Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For PRIMARY ELECTION 06/04/2019 Election|url=https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2019/2019-official-primary-candidates-general-assembly.pdf|publisher=Secretary of State of New Jersey|access-date=April 28, 2019|date=April 11, 2019}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Craig Coughlin (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 17,878

| percentage = 33.52%

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Yvonne Lopez (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 17,039

| percentage = 31.95%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Rocco Genova

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 9,046

| percentage = 16.96%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Christian Onuoha

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 8,705

| percentage = 16.32%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = William Cruz

| party = Independent (politician)

| votes = 661

| percentage = 1.24%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes =53,329

| percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin

| title = New Jersey general election, 2017{{cite web|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/2017-results/2017-official-general-election-results-general-assembly.pdf|title=2017 Official general election results, General Assembly|work=New Jersey Secretary of State|access-date=21 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521090837/https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/2017-results/2017-official-general-election-results-general-assembly.pdf|archive-date=21 May 2019|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| candidate = Craig Coughlin (Incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 25,708

| percentage = 35.6

| change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| candidate = Yvonne Lopez

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 24,830

| percentage = 34.4

| change = {{decrease}} 1.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Deepak Malhotra

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 10,709

| percentage = 14.8

| change = {{steady}} 0.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| candidate = Amarjit K. Riar

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 9,436

| percentage = 13.1

| change = {{decrease}} 0.2

}}

{{Election box candidate

| candidate = William Cruz

| party = Quality of Life

| votes = 1,488

| percentage = 2.1

| change = N/A

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 72,171

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin| title=New Jersey general election, 2015{{cite web|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/2015-results/2015-official-ge-results-nj-general-assembly.pdf|title=2015 Official general election results, NJ, General Assembly|work=New Jersey Secretary of State|access-date=21 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430032314/http://nj.gov/state/elections/2015-results/2015-official-ge-results-nj-general-assembly.pdf|archive-date=30 April 2017|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = John Wisniewski (Incumbent)

|votes = 16,159

|percentage = 36.3

|change = {{increase}} 2.6

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Craig Coughlin (Incumbent)

|votes = 15,880

|percentage = 35.6

|change = {{increase}} 4.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Thomas E. Maras

|votes = 6,597

|percentage = 14.8

|change = {{decrease}} 3.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jesus Varela

|votes = 5,916

|percentage = 13.3

|change = {{decrease}} 3.5

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 44,552

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin| title=New Jersey general election, 2013{{cite web|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/2013-results/2013-official-general-election-results-general-assembly.pdf|title=2013 Official general election results, General Assembly|work=New Jersey Secretary of State|access-date=21 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107131500/https://nj.gov/state/elections/2013-results/2013-official-general-election-results-general-assembly.pdf|archive-date=7 November 2018|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = John Wisniewski (Incumbent)

|votes = 24,404

|percentage = 33.7

|change = {{decrease}} 0.3

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Craig Coughlin (Incumbent)

|votes = 22,393

|percentage = 30.9

|change = {{decrease}} 1.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Stephanie Ziemba

|votes = 13,406

|percentage = 18.5

|change = {{increase}} 1.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Arif Khan

|votes = 12,151

|percentage = 16.8

|change = {{increase}} 0.2

}}

{{Election box total

| votes = 72,354

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change| title=New Jersey general election, 2011{{cite web|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/2011-results/2011-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-results-121411.pdf|title=2011 Official general election results, General Assembly|work=New Jersey Secretary of State|access-date=21 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114032843/https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/2011-results/2011-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-results-121411.pdf|archive-date=14 November 2018|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = John Wisniewski (Incumbent)

|votes = 18,241

|percentage = 34.0

|change =

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Craig Coughlin (Incumbent)

|votes = 17,492

|percentage = 32.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Angel J. Leon

|votes = 9,008

|percentage = 16.8

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Shane Robinson

|votes = 8,915

|percentage = 16.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 53,656

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin| title=New Jersey general election, 2009{{cite web|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-results/2009-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-tallies-120109.pdf|title=2009 Official general election results, General Assembly|work=New Jersey Secretary of State|access-date=21 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204190254/https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-results/2009-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-tallies-120109.pdf|archive-date=4 December 2018|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = John Wisniewski (Incumbent)

|votes = 24,329

|percentage = 28.7

|change = {{decrease}} 4.6

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Craig Coughlin

|votes = 22,226

|percentage = 26.3