R. Bruce Land

R. Bruce Land (born June 24, 1950) is an American Democratic Party politician who has represented the 1st Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since he was sworn in to office on January 12, 2016.

Land grew up in Millville, New Jersey and graduated from Millville Senior High School as part of the class of 1968. He was drafted to serve in the United States Army and was assigned to duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam during the second year of his two-year enlistment from 1969 to 1971, and was twice awarded the Bronze Star during the Vietnam War.

Land attended Cumberland County College, where he majored in business marketing. Land had worked in management of a department store in Vineland. He made a career change and began working for the New Jersey Department of Corrections, assigned to Bayside State Prison in Leesburg and South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton until his retirement in March 2008 with the rank of captain.

Running together with Democratic incumbent Bob Andrzejczak, Land won his first bid for elected office, defeating Republican incumbent Sam Fiocchi and his running mate Jim Sauro. Land and Andrzejczak spent four times as much as their opponents and were supported by $1.5 million in independent advertising that claimed that Fiocchi had not paid taxes.

As a member of the General Assembly, Land has been appointed to serve on the Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee, the Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee and the Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee.