Gina Genovese

{{short description|American businesswoman, former professional tennis player, and politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Gina Genovese

| image =

| image_size =

| order =

| office = Mayor of Long Hill Township, New Jersey

| term_start = 2006

| term_end = 2007

| predecessor = David Welch

| successor = George Vitureira

| birth_name = Gina Rose Genovese

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|04|30}}

| birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, U.S.

| residence =

| nationality =

| party = Independent {{small|(2011–present)}}{{cite web|last1=Pizarro|first1=Max|title=NJ Towns Consolidation Champion Genovese on Independent Guv Bid: 'I Felt Compelled to Run'|url=https://www.insidernj.com/nj-towns-consolidation-champion-genovese-independent-guv-bid-felt-compelled-run/|website=InsiderNJ|accessdate=16 June 2017|date=May 1, 2017}}

| otherparty = Democratic {{small|(before 2011)}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Wendy McCahill|2013}}

| profession = Small business owner

}}

Gina Rose Genovese (born April 30, 1959) is an American businesswoman, former professional tennis player and politician from New Jersey. In 2006, Genovese become the first Democratic Party mayor in Long Hill Township's history and the first openly gay mayor in the state of New Jersey.{{cite web|last1=Parker-Magyar|first1=Alex|title=Genovese seeks property tax revolution through gubernatorial campaign|url=http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/genovese-seeks-property-tax-revolution-through-gubernatorial-campaign/article_f47c285e-e7e2-50b3-ac24-f8a21d3ddae1.html|website=Echoes-Sentinel|accessdate=14 June 2017|date=April 25, 2017}} She was an Independent candidate in the 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial election.{{cite web|last1=Muscavage|first1=Nick|title=Former Long Hill mayor announces bid for governor|url=http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/politics/new-jersey/2017/04/19/former-long-hill-mayor-announces-bid-governor/100664062/|website=MyCentralJersey.com|publisher=Gannett Co. Inc|accessdate=14 June 2017|date=April 19, 2017}}

Early life and education

Genovese was born on April 30, 1959, in Newark and raised in Union Township, Union County, New Jersey. At age 12, Genovese moved to Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. She graduated from Kent Place School in Summit, New Jersey, in 1977.{{cite web|last1=Magyar|first1=Mark J.|title=Profile: The Woman Who Wants To End NJ's 'Multiple Municipal Madness'|url=http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/04/29/profile-the-woman-who-wants-to-end-nj-s-multiple-municipal-madness/|website=NJ Spotlight|accessdate=14 June 2017|date=April 30, 2014}}

Professional tennis career

Genovese joined the Women's Tennis Association circuit in 1980. After attaining a world ranking of 150, she was forced to retire in 1981 due to injury. In 1983, Genovese opened Gina's Tennis World in Berkeley Heights. She has coached over 25 nationally ranked players and continues to own and operate the club.

Political career

= Mayoral term and 2007 state senate campaign =

In 2004, Genovese ran for a seat on the Long Hill Township committee and defeated a four-time Republican incumbent, becoming the lone Democrat on the committee.{{cite news|last1=Edozien|first1=Frankie|title=The power of mayors|work=The Advocate|publisher=Here Media Inc.|date=July 4, 2006}} In January 2006, Genovese was unanimously selected to become the township's first Democratic mayor and the first openly gay mayor in New Jersey.{{cite web|title=Gina Genovese elected as Long Hill mayor|url=http://www.newjerseyhills.com/gina-genovese-elected-as-long-hill-mayor/article_d4eecca8-559e-5de7-b333-3d8db3c23e9e.html|website=New Jersey Hills|date=January 11, 2006|publisher=New Jersey Hills Media Group}}

Genovese resigned from the township committee in 2007 to run for New Jersey Senate in the 21st Legislative District, challenging Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr.{{cite news|last1=Capone|first1=Sally|title=Genovese hopes to make history against Kean|work=Echoes-Sentinel|date=October 18, 2007|pages=9}} The district included Long Hill and several other towns in Essex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties. Genovese was unopposed in the Democratic primary and lost to Kean in the general election, receiving 20,092 votes to Kean's 29,795.[http://njelections.org/election-results/2007-official-general-election-tallies(ss)-12.3.07.pdf Official List Candidate Returns for State Senate For November 2007 General Election] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822234540/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2007-official-general-election-tallies(ss)-12.3.07.pdf |date=2012-08-22 }}, New Jersey Department of State, December 3, 2007. Accessed June 14, 2017.

Genovese was one of New Jersey's 15 electors in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2008-certificates/index.html#nj |title=U. S. Electoral College 2008 Election - Certificates |publisher=Archives.gov |date= |accessdate=2017-06-14}}

= Courage to Connect NJ =

In 2009, after extensive research in the field of municipal consolidation, Genovese formed the non-partisan, non-profit organization Courage To Connect NJ, which encourages property tax reform in New Jersey.{{cite web|last1=Pérez-Peña|first1=Richard|title=New Jersey's Tiniest Towns Fight Push to Merge|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/nyregion/28teterboro.html|website=New York Times|accessdate=14 June 2017|date=November 26, 2010}} Genovese serves as the organization's executive director and co-authored the Courage To Connect NJ Guidebook.{{cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=http://www.couragetoconnectnj.org/board_of_directors|website=Courage to Connect NJ|access-date=2017-06-14|archive-date=2017-06-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615104004/http://www.couragetoconnectnj.org/board_of_directors|url-status=dead}} She was an advocate of the 2013 merger of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township.{{cite web|last1=Knapp|first1=Krystal|title=Princeton "Trailblazers" Vote to Unite|url=https://planetprinceton.com/2011/11/08/princeton-trailblazers-vote-to-unite-2/|website=Planet Princeton|publisher=Princeton Community Media|accessdate=16 June 2017|date=November 8, 2011}} In 2015, Genovese was presented the New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association Advocate Award in the category of Shared Services / Consolidation.{{cite web|last1=Limanov|first1=Nicolas|title=New Jersey Taxpayers' Association Presents Taxpayer Advocate Awards|url=http://parsippanyfocus.com/2015/10/31/new-jersey-taxpayers-association-presents-taxpayer-advocate-awards/|website=Parsippany Focus|accessdate=14 June 2017|date=October 31, 2015}} In 2017, InsiderNJ included her in its Insider 100 Policymakers as "the state's leading expert on municipal consolidation."{{cite web|title=2017 Insider 100 Policymakers|url=https://www.insidernj.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Insider-NJs-2017-Insider-100-Policymakers.pdf|website=InsiderNJ|accessdate=14 June 2017}}

= 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial election =

In April 2017, Genovese announced an Independent bid for New Jersey governor, dedicating her candidacy to property tax reform. On July 25, Genovese selected political operative Derel Stroud of Plainfield as her running mate.{{cite web|last1=Pizarro|first1=Max|title=Independent Guv Candidate Genovese to Run with Veteran Operative Derel Stroud|url=https://www.insidernj.com/independent-guv-candidate-genovese-run-veteran-operative-derel-stroud/|website=Insider NJ|accessdate=26 July 2017|date=25 July 2017}} In the November 7, 2017, general election, she received 0.57% of the vote.{{cite web|last1=Leip|first1=Dave|title=2017 Gubernatorial General Election Results - New Jersey|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state2.php?year=2017&fips=34&f=0&off=5&elect=0|website=US Election Atlas|accessdate=18 November 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Corasaniti|first1=Nick|title=Phil Murphy and Kim Guadagno Win Primaries in New Jersey Governor's Race|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/nyregion/new-jersey-governor-primary-results.html|website=New York Times|accessdate=14 June 2017|date=June 6, 2017}}

Personal life

Genovese resides in Long Hill Township with her partner, Wendy McCahill. The couple married in 2013.{{cite web|title=About Gina Genovese|url=http://www.gina4njgovernor.com/about_gina|website=Gina4NJGovernor|accessdate=14 June 2017}}