Aimee Belgard

Aimee Belgard (born April 30, 1974), is an American lawyer and politician who serves as a judge in New Jersey Superior Court,[1] she served as a Burlington County, New Jersey Freeholder from 2013 until 2016, losing her re-election bid in November 2015. Belgard is a member of the Democratic Party. Belgard was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Congress in New Jersey's 3rd congressional district, losing to Republican Tom MacArthur.[2][3]

Aimee Belgard
New Jersey Superior Court Judge Burlington County (Vicinage 3)
Assumed office
December 22, 2015
Freeholder of Burlington County, New Jersey
In office
January 1, 2013 – December 22, 2015
Preceded byBruce Garganio and Mary Ann O'Brien
Succeeded byKate Gibbs and Ryan Peters
Committeewoman of Edgewater Park, New Jersey
In office
January 2010 – January 1, 2013
Personal details
Born (1974-04-30) April 30, 1974
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Bill
Children2
ResidenceEdgewater Park Township, New Jersey
Alma materStockton College
Widener University
ProfessionJudge

Personal life and education

Belgard attended Haddonfield Memorial High School in Haddonfield, New Jersey.[4] She earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies from Stockton University in 1996, and a J.D. from Widener University School of Law in 1999.[5]

Career

Belgard served as a member of the Edgewater Park Township Planning/Zoning Board for four years,[6] before serving as an Edgewater Park Township Committeewoman from 2010-2013. She was elected to the Burlington County Board of Freeholders in 2012. She had unsuccessfully run for the same office in 2010.[5] In 2015, Belgard lost her seat on the Freeholder Board after serving only one term.[7]

Belgard spent 16 years as a trial and appellate lawyer for the law firm Sweeney and Sheehan.[5][8] Additionally, she served on the board and as both vice president and president-elect of Board of the American Cancer Society, Eastern Division. She also served on the national board of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and locally on the board of the YMCA.[9]

Personal life

Belgard lives in Edgewater Park Township, New Jersey with her husband, Bill, and two children.[9]

2014 congressional campaign

Belgard was a congressional candidate for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district, seeking the seat that was being vacated by Republican Congressman Jon Runyan.[10] Her opponent was Republican Tom MacArthur, a businessman and former mayor of Randolph.[11] During the campaign, Stuart Rothenberg of Roll Call said the "district is competitive, though it leans slightly Republican" and will be a "serious fight."[12]

Belgard was endorsed by the National Organization for Women, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters and EMILY's List, a political action committee that supports pro-choice Democratic candidates.[13][14]

During the course of her campaign, Belgard defended the Affordable Care Act as well as President Obama's decision not to inform Congress about the release of five terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. Belgard supports the Affordable Care Act and opposes attempts to repeal it,[15] but was criticized by WPHT talk show host Dom Giordano for "giving vague responses to complaints about the law."[15] She has criticized President Obama for his position on Superstorm Sandy aid.[16]

In February 2014, Nancy Pelosi hosted a fundraiser for Belgard.[17] The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced it would spend $1.3 million in ads supporting her campaign.[18] One ad about her opponent’s company, reported by Time, was described by Factcheck.org as deceptive, which the DCCC disputes.[19]

Belgard was criticized by the MacArthur campaign for voting in favor of a tax increase on small businesses as an Edgewater Park Committeewoman, and was criticized for accepting a taxpayer-funded salary in spite of an old campaign video claiming she would not do so.[20][21] Belgard was also attacked by the MacArthur campaign for "ducking" the issue of whether or not she supported in-state tuition for illegal aliens.[20]

Belgard ultimately lost the election to MacArthur by an 11-point margin, narrowly winning the vote in Burlington County while losing the popular vote in Ocean County.[22][23]

Election history
Burlington County Freeholder Election Results, 2015
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kate Gibbs 31,939 25.76
Republican Ryan Peters 31,839 25.68
Democratic Aimee Belgard 30,268 24.41
Democratic Joanne Schwartz 29,856 24.08
New Jersey's 3rd congressional district Election Results, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom MacArthur 95,166 54.65
Democratic Aimee Belgard 75,972 43.63
Burlington County Freeholder Election Results, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce Garganio 91,854 23.99
Republican Mary Ann O'Brien 91,305 23.85
Democratic Aimee Belgard 100,403 26.23
Democratic Joanne Schwartz 97,111 25.37
Burlington County Freeholder Election Results, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Donnelly 69,067 51.96
Democratic Aimee Belgard 63,776 47.98
Edgewater Park Township Committee Election Results, 2009
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gregory J. Bouchard 876 20.08
Republican Allan Ashinoff 886 20.31
Democratic Aimee Belgard 1,316 30.16
Democratic John G. McElwee 1,284 29.43

[24]

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References
  1. (PDF). New Jersey Supreme Court. December 18, 2015 http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/notices/2015/n152215b.pdf. Retrieved April 9, 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. Hefler, Jan (June 5, 2014). "MacArthur, Belgard to compete for N.J.'s Third District seat". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  3. Friedman, Matt. "Elections 2014: MacArthur defeats Belgard to win N.J.'s open 3rd congressional district seat", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 4, 2014. Accessed November 19, 2014. "MacArthur, a retired insurance executive, beat Democrat Aimee Belgard, a Burlington County freeholder, for south Jersey's open 3rd District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to the Associated Press."
  4. "Aimee Belgard, attorney, freeholder - phillyburbs.com: 40under40bct". phillyburbs.com. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  5. Moorestown Patch Staff (October 3, 2012). "Aimee Belgard, Burlington County Freeholder Candidate". Moorestown Patch. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  6. Kolumbic, Dubravka (November 2, 2010). "Freeholder candidate Aimee Belgard touts education, experience". The Columbia Record. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  7. Scala, Kristina. "Republicans Peters, Gibbs oust Democrats; win Burlington County freeholders race", Burlington County Times, November 3, 2015. Accessed April 9, 2016. "Republican newcomers Ryan Peters and Kate Gibbs unseated incumbent Democrats Aimee Belgard and Joanne Schwartz in the Burlington County freeholders race."
  8. Tamari, Jonathan (August 14, 2014). "National Democrats target a South Jersey district". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  9. "Aimee Belgard" (PDF). Burlington County. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  10. Livingston, Abby (November 8, 2013). "Runyan Retirement Sparks Rare Open N.J. Seat". Roll Call. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  11. Zernike, Kate (June 4, 2014). "In New Jersey, a Republican Nominee Will Try to Hold On to a Congressional Seat". The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  12. Rothenberg, Stuart (July 28, 2014). "So You Want to Be a Political Handicapper? 2014 Edition". Roll Call. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  13. Friedman, Matt (February 13, 2014). "EMILY's List promotes Burlington County freeholder to replace Runyan". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  14. Miller, Patricia (March 11, 2014). "Ocean County Chapter Of Sierra Club Endorses Burlington Freeholder For 3rd District Seat". Berkeley Patch. Archived from the original on June 27, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  15. Rinde, Meir (May 21, 2014). "DEMOCRATS HOPE TO WREST 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT FROM GOP GRASP". NJ Spotlight. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  16. Pizarro, Max (June 23, 2014). "CD3: Belgard tries to put distance on Obama over administration's Sandy aid plan". Politicker New Jersey. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  17. Friedman, Matt (January 28, 2014). "Pelosi to hold fundraiser for N.J. congressional candidate". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  18. Elliott, Philip (August 13, 2014). "House campaign groups start $75 million ad blitz". Press Herald. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  19. Nicks, Denver (August 14, 2014). "Fact Checking Group Slams New Democratic Ad for 'Deception'". Time. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  20. http://politickernj.com/2014/10/cd3-tax-records-cast-long-shadow-during-second-belgard-v-macarthur-debate/
  21. Press, By GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated. "Old video returns to haunt 3rd District race". Courier-Post.
  22. Sharnak, Debbie. "Republican Tom MacArthur Wins NJ’s Most Competitive Congressional Race — By Double Digits", IVN.us, November 5, 2014. Accessed June 27, 2015. "Tom MacArthur still came out on top with a wide margin separating him from his opponents, keeping the district Republican. With 98.6 percent of precincts reporting, he received 55 percent of the vote to Belgard’s 44 percent."
  23. Official List Candidates for House of Representatives For General Election 11/04/2014 Election, New Jersey Department of State, December 2, 2014. Accessed June 27, 2015.
  24. "Public Records Electronic Search System". press.co.burlington.nj.us.
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