Louis Romano Explained

Louis A. Romano
State Assembly:New Jersey
District:33rd
Term Start:January 14, 1992
Term End:January 11, 2000
Alongside:Bernard Kenny, Rudy Garcia
Predecessor:Bob Menendez
Successor:Albio Sires
Birth Date:August 20, 1930
Birth Place:Jersey City, New Jersey
Death Place:Hackensack, New Jersey
Nationality:American
Party:Democrat
Alma Mater:Fordham University (BS)
Seton Hall University (MA)
New York University (EdD)
Occupation:Legislator

Louis A. Romano (August 20, 1930 - November 29, 2000) was an American Democratic Party politician who served four terms in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 to 2000, where he represented the 33rd Legislative District.

Early life

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Romano was raised in West New York, New Jersey, where he attended Memorial High School.[1]

Romano earned his undergraduate degree from Fordham University, with a major in Social Studies, earned a Master of Arts from Seton Hall University in Professional Education and was awarded a Doctor of Education from New York University. He served in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953, attaining the rank of corporal.[2] A lifelong resident of West New York, Romano was employed by the West New York School District and taught at Memorial High School, his alma mater.[3] [4]

Assemblyman

Romano was first elected to the General Assembly in 1991, together with Bernard Kenny of Jersey City, defeating Republican candidates Antonio Miguelez and A. Lazaro Guas. Romano won re-election to the Assembly three times with Rudy Garcia of Union City as his running mate, soundly defeating Republicans Mary C. Gaspa and Armando C. Hernandez in 1993, Raphael S. Alvarez and Joseph Liuzzi in 1995, and Michael Alvarez and Freddy Gomez in 1997.[5] He served in the Assembly on the Appropriations Committee and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee.[2]

In the June 1999 primaries, the Hudson County Democratic Party organization was looking for "new blood" and chose to give its official support to West New York mayor Albio Sires, as well as Romano's fellow Assemblymember Rudy Garcia.[6] Despite losing the endorsement, Romano ran in the Democratic primary and lost, making him the only one of the 80 incumbents in the Assembly to lose their primary bid.[7] [8]

Personal life

Romano died of lung cancer at the age of 70 on November 29, 2000, at Hackensack University Medical Center. He had married Patricia DeFino days before his death.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Leir, Ronald. "Lou Romano WNY educator served 8 years in Assembly", The Jersey Journal, December 1, 2000. Accessed July 6, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Born in Jersey City Romano spent virtually all his life in West New York attending School 4 and Memorial High School and eventually completing a doctoral degree in education at New York University Romano began teaching industrial arts at Memorial in 1960 and continued there through 1975 when he was named assistant to the superintendent."
  2. Web site: Assemblyman Louis A. Romano . June 6, 2010 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/19980225004627/http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/html98/romano.htm . February 25, 1998. New Jersey Legislature.
  3. Staff. "After Months of Running, Marathon Ends Tuesday; Heading Toward Finish Line at the Statehouse", The New York Times, November 2, 1997. Accessed June 6, 2010.
  4. https://archive.hudsonreporter.com/2000/12/08/a-town-mourns-former-state-assemblyman-and-educator-dies/ "A town mourns Former state assemblyman and educator dies"
  5. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/ContainerHistory.html?ContainerID=12011 NJ Assembly 33 - History
  6. DeMasters, Karen. "In Brief; Primary Day Was a Good One For Assembly Incumbents", The New York Times, June 13, 1999. Accessed June 16, 2010.
  7. Staff. "Hudson County Assemblyman Defeated in Primary", The New York Times, June 9, 1999. Accessed June 6, 2010.
  8. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=725360 NJ General Assembly 33 - D Primary