Robert M. Gordon

Gordon grew up in Fair Lawn, New Jersey and graduated with a B.A. in Political Economy from Williams College in 1972. He was also awarded an M.P.P. from the University of California, Berkeley in Public Policy, and received an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Finance and Health Care Management.[1]

Out of school, Gordon worked as an analyst in the United States Congressional Budget Office from 1975 to 1977.[2]

Gordon served on the Fair Lawn Borough Council from 1986 to 1995, on its Planning Board from 1986 to 1995 and was Mayor of Fair Lawn, New Jersey from 1988 to 1991. He was the Fair Lawn Fire Commissioner from 1986 to 1995 and served on the Fair Lawn Ethics Board from 1999 to 2003. During this time he also served as an aide in the New Jersey Office of the Governor from 1990 to 1991. He was also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1988 and 1992.[1] In 1996, Gordon ran in the Democratic primary for the open Congressional seat in the 9th district but was defeated in a landslide against former Englewood mayor Steve Rothman.[3]

He served on the Democratic State Committee from 1993 to 1998. Gordon is a real estate development consultant in addition to being a state senator.[1]

In the 2003 election, Gordon and Joan Voss unseated the incumbents, Green Party candidate Matt Ahearn and Republican Rose Marie Heck (who did not seek reelection, instead choosing to run for the State Senate seat in the district), to win the Assembly seats.[4] Bergen County Freeholder and Paramus Councilwoman Connie Wagner replaced Gordon on the Democrats' 2007 Assembly ticket.

Gordon was the 2007 Democratic nominee to succeed outgoing Senator Joseph Coniglio in the 38th Legislative District and won the seat with 59.9% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2011 and served on the Legislative Oversight Committee (Chair), the Transportation Committee (Vice-Chair), and the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.[1]

In the 2013 election, the then-increasingly popular Governor Chris Christie targeted the 38th Legislative District to unseat Gordon.[5] However, Gordon prevailed who said he was "pleased that he's on Christie's radar screen." He became one of the leading proponents of increased accountability and transparency at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey after the 2013 Fort Lee Bridgegate Scandal.

Gordon was also later Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and co-Chair of a special panel which investigated problems with NJ Transit.[6]

Gordon has been a commissioner of the Board of Public Utilities since April 2018. He was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to fill the role.

The Democratic lawmaker is married to Gail Balph Gordon, a Republican who served on the staff of Richard Thornburgh, the former Pennsylvania Governor and United States Attorney General, and as a member of Governor Chris Christie's campaign finance committee and his transition team.[7] In February, 2013, Gail Gordon joined the Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Fader law firm, which is headed by former Democratic Governor Jim Florio.[8]