Donald Norcross (D-Camden) was sworn in as the new State Senator from the 5th district today, one week after taking his seat as an Assemblyman. Norcross won a special election convention to replace Dana Redd, who left the Senate earlier this month to become the new Mayor of Camden.
Norcross, the brother of South Jersey Democratic leader George Norcross, is the South Jersey AFL-CIO president and the Camden County Democratic Co-Chairman. His Assembly seat will be filled by Gilbert “Whip” Wilson, a Camden City Councilman who was elected on Saturday.
In moving up to the Senate, Norcross promised to cooperate with the new Republican governor, Christopher Christie, who also took office today.
“Our citizens are practically begging us to put aside the petty political infighting and work in a bi-partisan fashion to ease the burdens they face in their everyday lives,” Norcross said. “I will support him in making the tough decisions that must be made. At the same time, I will stand up to him if he strays from our shared principles of reducing government spending, creating jobs for our citizens, and providing quality schools, hospitals and other services for those who need them.”