Parker Space

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Parker Space
Assembly-Man Parker Space.png
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 24th District
Assumed office
March 21, 2013
Serving with Alison Littell McHose (2013-2015)
Gail Phoebus (2015-2018)
Hal Wirths (2018-present)
Preceded byGary R. Chiusano
Member of the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
In office
June 6, 2010 [1] – March 21, 2013
Preceded byHal Wirths[1]
Succeeded byGeorge F. Graham [1]
Personal details
Born (1968-12-04) December 4, 1968 (age 53)
Wantage Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Jill Space
ChildrenThree
ResidenceWantage Township, New Jersey
WebsiteLegislative Website
Assembly Republican Website

Parker Space (born December 4, 1968) is an American Republican Party politician, and owner of Space Farms Zoo and Museum. Space has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since March 2013, where he represents the 24th Legislative District.[2]

Personal life[]

Space graduated in 1987 from High Point Regional High School.[3]

He is a farmer and restaurant owner who also owns Space Farms Zoo and Museum in the Beemerville section of Wantage Township in Sussex County.[2] He has served with the Wantage Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter since 1989 and the department's chief 2001–2002.[2][4]

Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders[]

Space was appointed to the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2010 following the appointment of Hal Wirths to head the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Space won a full three-year term in the 2010 general election and was chosen as Freeholder Director in 2013.[5]

New Jersey Assembly[]

He served as freeholder until his appointment to the General Assembly filling a vacancy left by the resignation of Gary R. Chiusano in 2013.[2][6][7] Chiusano was appointed to the vacant position of Sussex County Surrogate, and Space was chosen by a convention called of party delegates from municipalities to fill the vacancy per New Jersey state law.[7] Space received 103 of the 158 delegate votes cast, defeating Bader Qarmout, John Wroblewski, and Mark Quick.[7] He was elected to his own full term in November 2013, then again in 2015 and 2017.

Committees[]

  • Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Commerce and Economic Development
  • Labor

Controversies[]

Space was criticized for playing Solitaire on the job during a debate on minimum wages.[8][9] In a candidate forum in October 2015, Space was quoted as saying: "There is nothing better than an unregistered gun, believe me."[10] In August 2017, Space was criticized for posting a photo of himself and his wife posing in front of a Confederate flag, which was superimposed with a picture of Hank Williams Jr.'s face. The inscription on the flag read: "If the South would've won, we would've had it made."[11] On August 31, 2017, Space was recorded calling opponent Kate Matteson, saying "[...] And you can put that on the record. She is (an) elitist 1 percenter, an elitist who's a bitch. Gina (Gina Trish, Matteson's running mate), I've never met. I can't say anything bad about her. But Kate, I can. Because I know she's a bitch."[12]

Voted No on A. 6099, protection of animal welfare despite being on the committee of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

District 24[]

New Jersey's 24th Legislative District-2011 Apportionment

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.[13] The other representatives from the 24th District for the 2020-2021 Legislative Session are:[14][15]

Electoral history[]

New Jersey Assembly[]

New Jersey general election, 2017[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Parker Space (Incumbent) 33,873 30.7 Decrease 4.3
Republican Hal Wirths 30,820 27.9 Decrease 5.4
Democratic Kate Matteson 22,456 20.3 Increase 6.4
Democratic Gina Trish 20,200 18.3 Increase 4.8
Green Aaron Hyndman 1,568 1.4 N/A
Green Kenny Collins 1,518 1.4 Decrease 2.9
Total votes '110,435' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2015[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Parker Space (Incumbent) 18,058 35.0 Increase 1.2
Republican Gail Phoebus 17,217 33.3 Decrease 2.7
Democratic Jacqueline Stapel 7,165 13.9 Decrease 2.4
Democratic Michael F. Grace 6,998 13.5 Decrease 0.4
Green Kenneth Collins 2,227 4.3 N/A
Total votes '51,665' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2013[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Alison Littell McHose (Incumbent) 37,399 36.0 Increase 5.4
Republican Parker Space (Incumbent) 35,093 33.8 Increase 4.0
Democratic Susan M. Williams 16,883 16.3 Decrease 0.2
Democratic William (Bill) Weightman 14,411 13.9 Decrease 1.9
Total votes '103,786' '100.0'

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Board of Freeholders". Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 4 December 2004. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Members: Legislative District 24 - Assemblyman Parker Space (R), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed December 19, 2021..
  3. ^ Jennings, Rob. "15 things about the lawmaker who posed with the Confederate flag", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 24, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed December 19, 2021. "Space is a 1987 graduate of High Point Regional High School."
  4. ^ "Assemblyman Parker Space". New Jersey Assembly Republicans. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  5. ^ "Parker Space And Richard Vohden To Lead Sussex County Board Of Chosen Freeholders In 2013" (Press release). Sussex County. January 4, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  6. ^ George, Andrew. "N.J. Assembly seat open as Gary Chiusano is confirmed for Sussex County surrogate post" in The Express-Times (7 February 2013). Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  7. ^ a b c George, Andrew. "Parker Space selected to fill 24th District vacancy in N.J. Assembly" in The Express-Times (25 February 2013). Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  8. ^ "Assemblyman Parker Space Plays Games While We Work For Poverty Wages".
  9. ^ "EDITORIAL: Parker Space, and the race to the bottom". USA Today. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  10. ^ "'Nothing Better Than an Unregistered Gun' Says GOP Assemblyman". Observer. 2015-10-28. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  11. ^ "N.J. lawmaker's photo with Confederate flag sparks criticism". NJ.com. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  12. ^ "Lawmaker in Confederate flag flap recorded using vulgar term about opponent". NJ.com. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  13. ^ Article IV, New Jersey State Constitution (1947).
  14. ^ Legislative Roster 2020-2021 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed December 19, 2021.
  15. ^ District 24 Legislators, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed December 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2017 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  17. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly for GENERAL ELECTION 11/03/2015 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  18. ^ Official List; Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2013 Election, New Jersey Department of State, December 4, 2013. Accessed February 11, 2014.

External links[]

New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 24th District
March 21, 2013 – Present
With: Alison Littell McHose, Gail Phoebus, Hal Wirths 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Member of the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
June 6, 2010 – March 21, 2013 		Succeeded by
George F. Graham
Retrieved from ""