William E. Schluter
William Everett "Bill" Schluter (November 5, 1927 – August 6, 2018) was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature in two separate instances.
William E. Schluter | |
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Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 23rd district | |
In office January 29, 1991 – January 8, 2002 | |
Preceded by | Dick Zimmer |
Succeeded by | Leonard Lance |
Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 6A district | |
In office January 11, 1972 – January 8, 1974 | |
Preceded by | District created |
Succeeded by | District abolished |
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 23rd district | |
In office September 10, 1987 – January 29, 1991 | |
Preceded by | Dick Zimmer |
Succeeded by | Leonard Lance |
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 6A district | |
In office January 9, 1968 – January 11, 1972 | |
Preceded by | District created |
Succeeded by | Walter E. Foran |
Personal details | |
Born | Bronxville, New York, U.S. | November 5, 1927
Died | August 6, 2018 90) Pennington, New Jersey, U.S. | (aged
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Nancy Albright Hurd (m. 1950) |
Children | six |
Residence | Pennington, New Jersey |
Alma mater | Princeton University (B.A.) |
Early life and career
Schluter was born on November 5, 1927, in Bronxville, New York to Frederic E. and Charlotte M. Schluter. He grew up in Princeton, New Jersey and attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Princeton University, where he played on the hockey team.[1] In 1950 he married Nancy Albright Hurd. They settled in Pennington, New Jersey.[2]
Schluter was elected to the Pennington Borough Council in 1963 and served for six years. He was a delegate to the 1964 Republican National Convention for Barry Goldwater.
New Jersey Legislature
Schluter ran an unsuccessful campaign for the New Jersey Senate in 1965 against Sido L. Ridolfi in the 6th Legislative District encompassing all of Mercer County.[3] However two years later, he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly from District 6A (encompassing Mercer County outside of Trenton and Ewing) and was reelected in 1969.[4]
In 1971, in a newly reapportioned legislative district combining parts of Mercer County and all of Hunterdon County, Schluter was elected to the New Jersey Senate. However two years later in 1973 in a new 14th district encompassing Mercer, Hunterdon, Middlesex, and Morris counties, Schluter lost the seat in 1973 to Anne Clark Martindell, as Democrats took control of the State Legislature in the wake of the Watergate scandal.[5]
In 1976 Schluter ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from the 13th congressional district against the Democratic incumbent, Helen Stevenson Meyner, who like Martindell, had won in a Republican-leaning district in the aftermath of Watergate. In the hotly contested race, Meyner defeated Schluter by a narrow margin. In 1978 Schluter ran for the House seat again but lost in the Republican primary to Jim Courter, who went on to defeat Meyner in the general election.[3]
Schluter returned to the New Jersey Legislature in 1987, when Dick Zimmer moved from the Assembly to the Senate following the death of Senator Walter E. Foran. Schluter won a special election Zimmer's Assembly seat in the 23rd district, and then was appointed to the State Senate after Zimmer succeeded Courter in the House of Representatives in 1991.[6] Schluter's Assembly seat was filled by Leonard Lance.
Gubernatorial bid and later career
Schluter served in the State Senate until 2001, when he would have had to run against a fellow incumbent, Democratic Senator Shirley Turner, due to redistricting. Instead, he ran as an independent in the race for Governor of New Jersey, with the help of Doug Friedline, the former campaign manager of Governor Jesse Ventura of Minnesota. The relationship brought an endorsement from Gov. Jesse Ventura of Minnesota. However a few weeks later, on September 11, 2001 the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City caused an immediate cessation of political campaigning in New Jersey, and supporters diverted their otherwise campaign contributions to disaster relief organizations. This prevented Schluter from raising sufficient funds to qualify in the gubernatorial televised debates. By the time the race restarted, Schluter lagged far behind Democrat Jim McGreevey and Republican Brett Schundler, and garnered only 1% of the vote.[7][8]
Schluter was appointed to the State Ethics Commission in 2006 by Governor Jon Corzine. He was a resident of Pennington, New Jersey.[9] Schluter remained somewhat active in New Jersey politics. He was the author of a book, Soft Corruption: How Unethical Conduct Undermines Good Government and What To Do About It, published in spring 2017 by Rutgers University Press.[10]
Schluter died on August 6, 2018 in his Pennington home following complications from pancreatic cancer of which he had been diagnosed for two years.[3][1]
References
- Shea, Kevin (August 6, 2018). "Bill Schluter, former state senator who ran for governor, dies at 90". NJ.com. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
- "Nancy Hurd Betrothed" The New York Times, October 23, 1949. Accessed March 12, 2008.
- "Bill Schluter, former Senator, dies at 90 - New Jersey Globe". New Jersey Globe. 2018-08-06. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
- Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, J.A. Fitzgerald, 1973.
- "Lame-Duck Republicans Wind Up Trenton Duties" The New York Times, November 13, 1973. Accessed March 12, 2008.
- "The Harvey Smith Club" Politicker NJ, June 6, 2007. Accessed March 12, 2008.
- "New Jersey Independent Gets A Hulking Hand From Ventura". The New York Times, August 28, 2001. Accessed March 12, 2008.
- New Jersey, Senate & Presidential Elections 2008 Results & Polls. NJ.com. Accessed March 12, 2008.
- "Corzine appoints new members to the state ethics commission" Office of the Governor, February 23, 2006. Accessed March 12, 2008.
- "News | Soft Corruption | Ethical Misconduct in New Jersey Government and What Can be Done About It". www.softcorruption.com. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
External links
- New Jersey Legislature - Senator William E. Schluter (R) (Archived version from November 9, 2001)
New Jersey Senate | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Dick Zimmer |
Member of the New Jersey Senate for the 23rd District 1991–2002 |
Succeeded by Leonard Lance |
Preceded by District created |
Member of the New Jersey Senate for District 6A 1972–1974 |
Succeeded by District abolished |
New Jersey General Assembly | ||
Preceded by Dick Zimmer |
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 23rd District 1987–1991 With: C. Richard Kamin |
Succeeded by Leonard Lance |
Preceded by District created |
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for District 6A 1968–1972 With: John A. Selecky, Karl Weidel |
Succeeded by Walter E. Foran |