Francis L. Bodine
Bodine in 1953
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 8th district
In office
February 28, 1994 – January 8, 2008
Preceded byRobert C. Shinn Jr.
Succeeded byDawn Marie Addiego
Scott Rudder
Mayor of Moorestown Township, New Jersey
In office
1981–1987
Preceded byJames Euel Palmer
Succeeded byWalter T. Maahs, Jr.
Personal details
Born(1936-01-10)January 10, 1936
Moorestown, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedJanuary 11, 2023(2023-01-11) (aged 87)
Political partyDemocratic (2007–2023)
Other political
affiliations		Republican (before 2007)

Francis L. "Fran" Bodine (January 10, 1936 – January 11, 2023) was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1994 to 2008, where he represented the 8th Legislative District. He switched to the Democratic Party in 2007 after local Republicans dropped support for his reelection campaign to the Assembly and unsuccessfully ran for the New Jersey Senate.

Biography

Bodine served in the Assembly on the Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee.[1] He served in the Assembly as Deputy Leader from 2006 to 2007, served as the Assistant Republican Whip from 2002 to 2006 and was the Assistant Majority Whip during 2000–2001.[1] Bodine was selected in February 1994 by the District Republican Committee to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Assemblyman Robert C. Shinn Jr.

On April 5, 2007, Bodine announced that he was switching from the Republican Party, would serve the balance of his term as a Democrat, and would run as a Democrat to fill the Senate seat to be vacated by Martha W. Bark. Bodine's switch followed the Burlington County Republican Party's decision to endorse another candidate to fill Bodine's seat in the Assembly.[2] Bodine, running as a Democrat, was defeated by the Republican candidate, Phil Haines, on November 6, 2007, in his race for the New Jersey State Senate by a margin of 39% to 61%.

Assemblyman Bodine sponsored legislation providing for $500 million bridge repair bond referendum, unification of ports of Pennsylvania and Camden oversight agencies and for authorization and funding of the Delaware Valley light rail project. He served on the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1985 to 1994 and as its Director in 1988 and 1993. He was a Commissioner of the Delaware River Port Authority from 1983 to 1990 where he was the chairman of the executive committee and vice chairman, operation and maintenance. He was the Mayor of Moorestown Township, New Jersey from 1981 to 1987 and served on its council from 1977 to 1978. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956.[1]

Personal

Bodine was born and raised in Moorestown, New Jersey and graduated from Moorestown High School.[3] He received a B.S. degree in 1960 from La Salle University in Marketing.[1] He was a Senior Account Executive for Grinspec Consulting before entering politics.

He resided in Moorestown and later Surf City, New Jersey. He died one day after his 87th birthday on January 11, 2023.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Assemblyman Bodine's legislative web page". Archived from the original on August 9, 2007. Retrieved 2005-10-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 7, 2008.
  2. ↑ Hester Jr., Tom. "Legislator switches from GOP to Dems", The Record, April 6, 2007.
  3. ↑ Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 2004 Edition, p. 257. Lawyers Diary and Manual, LLC, 2004. ISBN 9781577411871. "Francis L. Bodine, Rep., Moorestown - Assemblyman Bodinewas born Jan. 10, 1936, in Moorestown, where he attended Our Lady of Good Counsel Grade School and Moorestown High School."
  4. ↑ Assembly Member Francis L. Bodine, Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 8, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Francis L Bodine Obituary". Lewis Funeral Home. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
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