Preceded by Dick Zimmer Party Republican Party Political party Republican Succeeded by Rush D. Holt, Jr. | Name Michael Pappas Resigned January 3, 1999 Role Former U.S. Congressman | |
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Born December 29, 1960 (age 63)
New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. ( 1960-12-29 ) Previous office Representative (NJ 12th District) 1997–1999 | ||
Member of congress start date January 3, 1997 | ||
Michael James Pappas (born December 29, 1960 in New Brunswick, New Jersey) is a former Republican Congressman from New Jersey.
Biography
Pappas was born in 1960 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Alma Preparatory School in Zarephath, New Jersey, and attended Seton Hall University. He got into politics in the early 1980s, becoming a member of the Franklin Township township council where he served from 1982-87.
He was Mayor of Franklin Township, New Jersey for two years. He later would be elected to the Board of Chosen Freeholders for Somerset County, and served from 1984 to 1996, alongside fellow Freeholder Christine Todd Whitman during portions of that period.
In 1996, Pappas won an election to replace Dick Zimmer in the 12th Congressional District in New Jersey (Zimmer ran for the U.S. Senate that year), beating Lambertville Mayor David DelVecchio. Unlike most New Jersey Republicans, Pappas was a staunch conservative. His congressional service included pushing for a stronger national defense, the elimination of the capital gains tax, advocacy for small business, securing the release of the battleship USS New Jersey to the state of New Jersey as a museum, and resurrecting the controversial "Star Wars" national missile defense.
He was a strong supporter of the impeachment of Bill Clinton, and his infamous singing of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Kenneth Starr" on the House floor contributed to his defeat by Rush Holt in 1998.
In 2000, Pappas unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination in the 12th District, losing a highly contentious primary to the more moderate Zimmer by 62 to 38% margin. Holt narrowly defeated Zimmer in the general election to retain his seat. During the Bush Administration, Pappas worked for the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C.
In June 2016, Pappas was hired as the Borough Administrator of High Bridge, New Jersey.