Richard J. Codey

Richard J. Codey – Life, Career, and Legacy

Explore the life and career of Richard J. Codey — longtime New Jersey legislator, former acting Governor, mental health advocate, and public servant. Learn about his early life, political journey, contributions, and enduring influence.

Introduction

Richard James Codey (born November 27, 1946) is an American politician and public servant best known for his decades-long service in New Jersey’s legislature and his term as acting Governor of New Jersey.

With a political career spanning 50 years (1974–2024), Codey holds the record as New Jersey’s longest-serving state legislator.

Through his legislative work, Codey has championed mental health, ethics reform, public health, and bipartisan governance. His story is one of steady perseverance, local rootedness, and a commitment to service in both calm times and crises.

Early Life and Family

Richard J. Codey was born on November 27, 1946, in Orange, New Jersey.

He was raised in a Catholic environment and often describes himself as “100% Irish.”

In terms of schooling, he attended local institutions in his area, including Our Lady of the Valley High School, Orange High School, and then Oratory Preparatory School in Summit. Bachelor’s degree in Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1981.

Codey is married to Mary Jo Codey (sometimes referred to as Mary Jo Rolli) and they have two sons: Kevin and Christopher.

Political Beginnings & Legislative Rise

Entry to Public Office

Codey’s political career began early. At age 26, in 1973, he ran for the New Jersey General Assembly and won, taking office in January 1974.

During his time in the Assembly, Codey gained political experience and built relationships that would help him later in his Senate career.

Move to the State Senate

In 1981, his mentor, State Senator Frank “Pat” Dodd, gave up his Senate seat to run for governor. Codey ran for the open Senate seat and won, entering the New Jersey State Senate in January 1982.

He represented Legislative District 27, covering parts of Essex County and southeastern Morris County.

Over the decades, he took on various leadership positions: Assistant Minority Leader, Minority Leader (1998–2001), and later Senate President (from 2002 onward) when Democrats gained control.

His longest tenure in the Senate, and overall in the legislature, makes him the longest-serving state legislator in New Jersey’s history.

Acting Governorship & Key Policies

Becoming Acting Governor

Because New Jersey lacked a lieutenant governor until after 2009, the state Senate President often assumed the role of acting governor when the sitting governor resigned or was incapacitated. As Senate President, Codey served as acting governor several times:

• January 12–15, 2002: In a transitional period between the previous Senate President / acting governor and the incoming governor, Codey briefly assumed the role.

• November 15, 2004 – January 17, 2006: After Governor Jim McGreevey resigned, Codey took over as acting governor for the remainder of the unexpired term, then continued as governor under a law that made such long acting service retroactively count as full governorship. Thus, he is known as the 53rd Governor of New Jersey.

During his time as governor, Codey did not run for election to a full term; he instead returned to the Senate.

Besides those periods, Codey also served as acting governor in April–May 2007 when Governor Jon Corzine was severely injured in a car accident. During Corzine’s recovery, Codey stepped in temporarily.

Key Initiatives and Policy Focus

While serving as acting governor, Codey advanced several policy priorities:

• Mental health advocacy: This was a deeply personal and long-term priority for Codey. As governor, he increased funding for mental health services and reform, emphasizing the need for better support systems, awareness, and access.

• Smoking ban / public health: He signed legislation banning smoking in indoor public and private spaces under state jurisdiction, expanding protections for many public settings.

• Ethics and transparency: Codey pushed reforms in campaign finance and government accountability. He banned certain campaign contributions by businesses holding state contracts (in specified circumstances) and enhanced oversight of state agencies.

• School nutrition and health policy: He revised nutrition guidelines for state-funded schools to eliminate high-sugar items (like soda and candy).

• Capital punishment moratorium: One significant move was instituting a state moratorium on the death penalty during his term, a first in New Jersey.

• Infrastructure, stadium negotiation, and state identity: He played a role in negotiating the deal for MetLife Stadium, which kept the Giants and Jets partly in New Jersey. He also involved the public in choosing a new state slogan (“New Jersey: Come See for Yourself”) and rejected a consultant’s slogan he found too negative.

His leadership style during these years was often characterized as steady, responsive, and inclusive — often reaching across party lines and working at the grassroots level.

Later Years, Retirement & Legacy

Continuing Service in the Senate

After completing his stint as acting governor, Codey returned to the Senate and continued serving in legislative leadership, including as Senate President until 2010.

Over time, even as the political landscape changed, Codey remained a respected elder statesman, known for his institutional memory, experience, and ability to broker deals.

In August 2023, Codey announced he would not seek re-election and would retire from the legislature. He completed his final term and left office on January 9, 2024. 50-year span of continuous legislative service — the longest in New Jersey history.

Impact & Influence

Richard Codey’s legacy is multi-faceted:

1. Institutional continuity & legislative longevity
   Few politicians in modern American history can match a half-century of continuous service in a state legislature. Codey’s tenure provided continuity, institutional knowledge, and mentorship to successive generations.

2. Mental health advocacy and human-centered governance
   One of his signature contributions has been elevating mental health as a policy priority — not merely as a marginal issue. He consistently pushed for increased funding, reform, awareness, and better provisions for patients.

3. Ethics, transparency, and public trust
   Through reforms in campaign finance, oversight, and advocacy for accountability, Codey worked to address public cynicism toward government. His willingness to take unpopular steps (such as contribution limits) underscored his commitment to public interest.

4. Pragmatic bipartisanship
   Codey often operated across party lines, especially in a state with shifting control between Democrats and Republicans. Rather than ideological posturing, he sought workable solutions, particularly in health, education, and infrastructure.

5. Stewardship in moments of transition
   His governorship, though not by direct election, was a period of stability following a scandal and resignation. His steady hand helped guide the state through uncertainty, making decisions on public health, ethics, and governance reforms.

Personality, Values & Approach

Richard Codey is often described as genuinely caring, homespun, and accessible. His public persona includes being down-to-earth, compassionate, and willing to help constituents personally.

He has been active in hands-on community support: helping individuals directly, purchasing funeral services for families in need, contributing to local causes, and staying connected to grassroots concerns.

His leadership is grounded in humility, pragmatism, and incremental progress rather than spectacle. He has been willing to make small but meaningful reforms, and to work quietly rather than seek the limelight.

Selected Quotes & Public Statements

Finding widely circulated quotations by Richard J. Codey is somewhat limited compared to more iconic national figures, but here are a few sentiments and remarks attributed to him:

• On public service and connection:

  “I try to call maybe once every two weeks or once a month or so … just to make sure he’s OK … because he definitely changed the course of my life.”
  — a former constituent speaking of Codey’s personal engagement

• On commitment to people:

  “For him, a bleeding heart is not a derisive phrase, but a way of life.”
  — from his biography site, describing his approach to caring for constituents and communities

Though not many polished one-liners exist in public domain, his legacy is better captured in his actions and sustained commitments to policy and community.

Lessons from Richard J. Codey

From the life and career of Richard Codey, we can draw several lessons worth remembering:

1. Longevity matters
   In politics, consistency and perseverance can build influence over time. One can do incremental good across decades, shaping institutions and mentoring others.

2. Advocacy rooted in personal commitment
   The deepest policy advances often come from people who live or understand the struggles they legislate — Codey’s focus on mental health illustrates this.

3. Stability in uncertainty
   In times of crisis or transition, a calm, experienced leader can make all the difference. Codey’s governorship during turbulent moments demonstrates the importance of steadiness.

4. Small reforms, big impact
   You don’t always need sweeping change to leave a mark. Nutrition policy, oversight, smoking bans — these are not headline-grabbing, but they affect daily life.

5. Connection to constituents is essential
   Even with statewide duties, Codey maintained personal ties: helping individuals, being responsive to local needs, and staying rooted in his community.

Conclusion

Richard J. Codey’s political life is not defined by flamboyant ambition but by steady dedication. From a young Assemblyman to longtime State Senator and acting Governor, his half-century of service testifies to resilience, public purpose, and empathy.

Though no longer in public office, Codey leaves behind a legacy of institutional memory, policy advances in mental health and transparency, and a model of leadership guided by humility and connection.