On Tuesday, Nov. 2, voters across New Jersey will head to the polls to cast ballots for their ballots to fill all 80 seats in the state Assembly and 40 seats in the state Senate.
The 40th Legislative District is made up of 15 municipalities in Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic counties: Allendale, Cedar Grove, Franklin Lakes, Ho-Ho-Kus, Little Falls, Midland Park, Pequannock, Pompton Lakes, Ridgewood, Riverdale, Totowa, Waldwick, Wayne, Woodland Park and Wyckoff.
Of the district’s 174,183 voters, 32% are Republican and 30% Democrat. The 40th has never elected a Democrat to state legislature.
Republican incumbents—State Sen. Kristin Corrado along with Assemblymen Kevin J. Rooney and Christopher P. DePhillips—are all seeking re-election. Democrats have put forward a ticket of Michael Sedon for State Senate and Genevieve Allard and Nicole McNamara for Assembly.
Here is a rundown of who is running for a seat in the State Legislature in the 40th District.
State Senate
Republican: Kristin Corrado (Incumbent)
Bio: After assuming office in 2017, Corrado has served as conference leader and deputy Republican Whip. She’s also held roles on committees including commerce, environment and energy and judiciary. A small business owner, the Senator is a partner in the law firm of Corrado & Corrado with her father, Robert E. Corrado. She also represented Totowa as municipal attorney for 10 years before serving as Passaic County Clerk for seven years.
North-JerseyNews.com Fact: The Totowa resident was appointed to her seat after state Sen. Kevin O’Toole was named to the Board of Commissioners of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Democrat: Michael Sedon
Bio: A member of Ridgewood’s village council since 2014, Sedon is currently deputy mayor. Prior to entering local politics, Sedon was a staff reporter at The Staten Island Advance and The Ridgewood News. Now a freelance journalist, he is making his second run for state Legislature. In 2019, he ultimately withdrew his bid for state Assembly.
North-JerseyNews.com Fact: During his initial run for village council in 2014, Sedon quit his job at The Staten Island Advance after anonymous emails were sent to his boss suggesting that there was a conflict of interest if he continued to work as a reporter there and seek a council seat. Even though the paper’s legal team determined there was no conflict, Sedon resigned.
State Assembly
Republican: Kevin J. Rooney (Incumbent)
Bio: After assuming office in 2016, Rooney serves on the committees for appropriations, consumer affairs, fire safety, public safety communications and civic information. Prior to joining the state Legislature, Rooney was a Wyckoff township committee member from 2010 to 2016 and served three of those years as mayor. He is also a managing partner of a real estate management and development firm in Wyckoff.
North-JerseyNews.com Fact: After being named champion of the Food Network’s “Chopped” in 2013, Rooney donated his $10,000 winnings to create a culinary arts program at Oasis — A Haven for Women and Children, a Paterson-based non-profit.
Republican: Christopher P. DePhillips (Incumbent)
Bio: After being elected to his Assembly seat in 2018, DePhillips has served on committees including judiciary, science, innovation & technology and financial institutions and insurance. Prior to taking office, DePhillips was a Northwest Bergen County Utilities commissioner from 2012 to 2017. He has also served on the Wyckoff Township Committee, including one year as mayor, and chaired the 40th District Republican County Committee for five years. DePhillips is the vice president, chief operating officer and general counsel of a health-related compliance company.
North-JerseyNews.com Fact: DePhillips replaced David Russo, who was first elected to the state Assembly in 1989 and served until he left office in 2018.
Democrat: Genevieve Allard
Bio: Allard, a Ridgewood resident, is a former assistant Bergen County prosecutor and has taught criminal justice at Bergen County Technical Schools. She also runs a private college admission consulting firm.
North-JerseyNews.com Fact: In 2020, Allard appeared in a commercial for U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s (D-5) re-election campaign after he helped her son, who was in a medically-induced coma while battling COVID-19, receive the then-experimental Remdesivir drug.
Democrat: Nicole McNamara
Bio: A Waldwick resident, McNamara is making her first bid for a seat in the Assembly. In 2018, she broke a GOP stronghold when she was elected to the Waldwick town council. She remains the only Democrat on the six-member body.
North-JerseyNews.com Fact: McNamara got involved in politics after being inspired by the increased number of women across the country seeking office.
