Donald Norcross

Donald W. Norcross (born December 13, 1958) is the current U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district, serving since 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party and an American labor leader. He won the seat in 2014 following the resignation of Rob Andrews. Prior to his service in the House, he represented the 5th District in the New Jersey Senate from 2010 to 2014.

Norcross was born in 1958 at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, the son of George E. Norcross, Jr. He and his three brothers were raised in Pennsauken Township. He graduated from Camden County College with a degree in criminal justice.

Norcross is married to Andrea Doran, an echocardiographer. They have three children. His brother George Norcross is a New Jersey Democratic leader and businessman. He has another brother, John Norcross, who is a psychologist, author, and professor at the University of Scranton.

In 1980, he served as an apprentice in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, eventually becoming assistant business manager of the IBEW Local 351. A former president of the Southern New Jersey Building Trades Council, Norcross served as president of the Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO Central Labor Council for 16 years.

Norcross and his running mate, Camden City Council President Angel Fuentes, were elected to the Assembly in 2009 after Democratic incumbents Nilsa Cruz-Perez and Joseph J. Roberts both retired. Shortly thereafter, Norcross was appointed to the Senate seat vacated by Dana Redd who was elected as Mayor of Camden. Norcross won the Senate special election in 2010 to finish out the term, then was re-elected to the New Jersey Senate in 2011 and 2013.

Elections

On February 4, 2014, South Jersey Congressman Rob Andrews announced he would be resigning from Congress by the end of the month, and he did so on February 18.

Norcross announced his candidacy February 5, and within a week, he was endorsed by every New Jersey congressional Democrat, State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, General Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, Mayor of Camden Dana Redd, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, and former Governor Jim Florio.

Tenure

Norcross speaking at the 2017 Women's March in Trenton, New Jersey

Norcross easily won the Democratic primary—the real contest in this heavily Democratic district—with 72 percent of the vote. He ran in two elections on November 4--a special election for the balance of Andrews' 12th full term, and a regular election for a full two-year term—winning both over Republican challenger Garry Cobb. He was sworn in on November 12, 2014 by House Speaker John Boehner. Since he was added to the House roll on that date, he gained more seniority than other members of the House freshman class of 2014.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Committee on the Budget

• "N.J. Democrat Rob Andrews to resign from Congress", washingtonpost.com; accessed November 17, 2014.
• Rob Andrews to leave Congress, philly.com; accessed November 17, 2014.