Jorge A. Rod

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Jorge A. Rod

|image =

|caption =

|state_assembly=New Jersey

|district = 9th

|term_start = January 12, 1982

|term_end = January 14, 1986

|predecessor = John Paul Doyle
Hazel Gluck

|successor = Jeffrey Moran

|birth_name =

|birth_date = 1947

|birth_place = Colombia

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic (since 1985)

|otherparty=Republican (until 1985)

|residence=Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey

}}

Jorge A. Rod (born 1947) is an American politician who represented the 9th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1982 to 1986.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/145972495/ |title=Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey on June 3, 1981 · Page 13 |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=1981-06-03 |accessdate=2016-11-27}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/23/nyregion/trenton-rally-set-by-farm-workers.html |title=Trenton Rally Set By Farm Workers |publisher=NYTimes.com |date=1984-09-23 |accessdate=2016-11-27}}

Born in Colombia, Rod attended Hackensack High School. He served in the United States Army for three years, from 1965 to 1968, attaining the rank of sergeant. He then attended Ocean County College and Trenton State College (since renamed as The College of New Jersey).[https://books.google.com/books?id=D36HAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Born+in+Colombia+,+Mr.+Rod+attended+schools+in+South+America%22 Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, Volume 201, Part 2], page 247. J. A. Fitzgerald, 1985. Accessed March 8, 2022. "Born in Colombia , Mr. Rod attended schools in South America as well as Hackensack High School. He continued his education at Ocean County and Trenton State Colleges. He served in the Army from 1965 to 1968."

A Lacey Township, New Jersey resident, Rod served on the Township Council and was selected as mayor in 1981.[https://books.google.com/books?id=H2MkAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Jorge+A.+Rod%22+lacey Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, 1985], page 247. Accessed April 20, 2020. "Jorge A. Rod, Rep., Lacey - Assemblyman Rod is the mayor of Lacey Township, an office he assumed in 1981, after having served nine years on the Township Committee."

During most of his tenure in the General Assembly, he was a Republican. However, on August 27, 1985, he switched his party registration to Democratic. In the June Republican Primary, he was defeated by Jeffrey Moran and his previous running mate, John T. Hendrickson Jr..{{cite web|last1=Levine|first1=Bruce|title=Spurned GOP lawmaker now on Democratic ticket|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/145815142/|website=Asbury Park Press|accessdate=September 2, 2017|date=August 28, 1985}} He joined the Democratic ticket for the seat that November but lost to both Republicans.