Barbara Buono
Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succeeding Stephen Sweeney, and was succeeded by Loretta Weinberg. She is a member of the Democratic Party and was the Democratic nominee for Governor of New Jersey in the 2013 general election, which she lost to Republican incumbent Chris Christie.
Barbara Buono | |
|---|---|
| Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate | |
| In office January 12, 2010 – January 10, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Sweeney |
| Succeeded by | Loretta Weinberg |
| Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 18th district | |
| In office January 8, 2002 – January 14, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | David Himelman |
| Succeeded by | Peter Barnes |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 18th district | |
| In office December 1, 1994 – January 8, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Joanna Gregory-Scocchi |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Diegnan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 28, 1953 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Martin Gizzi (m. 2002) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | Montclair State University (BA) Rutgers University, Camden (JD) |
Before entering the Senate, Buono served in the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature, the General Assembly, from 1994 to 2002, where she served as the Minority Parliamentarian from 1996 to 1998. In the Assembly, Buono became the ranking Democrat on the Assembly Budget Committee. She was Democratic Conference Chair from 2004 to 2007.