Political party Republican Party Republican Party Role Governor of New Jersey | Name John Bennett Spouse(s) Peg Bennett Succeeded by Richard Codey | |
 | ||
Preceded by John Farmer Jr.
as Acting Governor Born August 6, 1948 (age 75) ( 1948-08-06 ) Education West Virginia University, Dickinson College | ||
John O. Bennett III (born August 6, 1948) is a former New Jersey Republican politician who served as State Senator, President of the State Senate. Bennett served as Acting Governor of New Jersey for four days in January 2002.
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Education
Bennett attended Dickinson College from 1966 to 1968, graduated from West Virginia University with a B.A. in 1970, and earned a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1974.
Acting Governor
Bennett served as Acting Governor for three and a half days in January 2002. Following Governor Christine Todd Whitman's resignation the previous year to become head of the EPA, Bennett was one of three different senate presidents (along with Donald DiFrancesco and Richard Codey, along with Attorney General John Farmer) to serve as acting governor for the one-year period between Whitman's resignation and Jim McGreevey's inauguration. DiFrancesco served as acting governor for all but the last week of this period, until his term as senate president ended. Farmer, Bennett and Codey then divided the last week of the term among them, with Bennett serving for three days, from January 8, 2002, to January 12, 2002, leading to a situation in which the state had five different people serving as governor during a period of eight days.
During his service as acting governor, Bennett signed legislation into law, appointed judges, granted a pardon, created a nursing advisory council, and hosted several parties at Drumthwacket. The nursing advisory council was a tribute to his wife, Peg, a nurse. Peg Bennett was active during her tenure as First Lady of New Jersey.
Controversies
In June 2002, Bennett was involved in a shoving match with South Jersey Democratic Party boss and Commerce National Insurance CEO George Norcross after Norcross threatened to publicize a pardon Bennett gave during his three-day executive tenure if Bennett could not convince his fellow Republican senators to vote for a tax increase and stadium construction bill in committee.
Bennett fell out of favor as a result of allegations that he overbilled the municipality of Marlboro Township for legal services. In a statement to the press, Bennett blamed party bosses and a biased press for attempting to destroy him. Bennett was a leading opponent of using state funds to construct a convention center/stadium in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey that would have been used by a minor league ice hockey team that Norcross had bought an interest in.
2003 Election
John Bennett failed in his 2003 bid for re-election to the State Senate, falling to Ellen Karcher, 52%-43%, with the Green Party of New Jersey candidate winning 5% of the vote.
Current activities
In the 2005 primary election he was elected Republican State Committeeman for Monmouth County. John O. Bennett is also a professor at Montclair State University. In June 2012 he was elected the chairman of the Monmouth County Republican Party Committee during its annual reorganization meeting.