Oroho steps down early as Senate minority leader

Steve Oroho will step down as minority leader of the New Jersey State Senate on Saturday, allowing Anthony M. Bucco (R-Boonton) to assume the post before the fall 2023 midterm elections.

“Now that the primary elections are over and the lineup for the Republican Senate candidates is all set, it’s an opportune time for me to step aside as the Senate Republican Leader and have an incumbent Senator take over as the leader of the Republican Caucus for the remainder of the session,” Oroho said, noting that this had been his plan all along.

Oroho unexpectedly announced at the end of January that he would not seek re-election to a sixth term in the Senate.  Within one day, Bucco had locked up the votes to succeed him as the Senate’s Republican leader.

“I want to thank all the members of the Republican Caucus for having their faith in me, and it’s been an honor of a lifetime, especially for someone who never, ever, expected to be in elected office — let alone be voted as the Republican Senate Leader,” said Oroho.

Thomas H. Kean (R-Livingston) made a similar move, stepping down as Assembly Minority Leader to run for governor in 1977, allowing James Hurley (R-Millville) to lead the caucus into the election that year.

“Having served in the leadership capacity for the past year and a half and having worked hard and collaboratively with Senators Singer and Pennacchio as tri-leaders of the political arm of the Senate Republicans known as the Senate Republican Majority (SRM) in the last General Election cycle, it is critically clear to me that there be a very clear and definitive public idea as to who is in charge,” stated Oroho.

Oroho, who remains in the Senate until January, praised his Senate leadership team.

“Over the past four months, I have had the fortunate opportunity to work with my friends, Leader-Elect Senator Anthony Bucco and SRM Chairman Senator Singer,” he said.  “I have witnessed Anthony’s hard work and determination to help all our Republican Senate candidates as we look to convince the New Jersey voters that their clear choice to put New Jersey on its right path is to elect a Republican majority in the Legislature.  Senator Bucco is determined and the right person to make it happen.”

Bucco told the New Jersey Globe he’s ready to take on the minority leader post.

“There’s certainly some big shoes to fill.   I’m looking forward to it,” he said.  “I work really hard at this job.”

He also thanked his family for their support during his nearly sixteen years in the Senate.

“As many people have come to know, I am a blessed man. I am fortunate to have had a wonderful Father, my amazing Mom (still amazing approaching 91); I have terrific siblings and their spouses,” Oroho said.  “And as I have often said, I know I was elected because people know my wife, Rita, and our five children, and the people know they are fantastic — so the voters took a chance on me thinking “he can’t be too bad with such a wonderful family”; and now we have ten grandchildren and praying for more.”

The early reshuffling of the Senate leadership creates a vacancy in the Minority Whip post currently held by Bucco; Michael Testa, Jr. (R-Vineland) is a possible candidate for the open leadership position or for Republican Conference Chairman if Holly Schepisi (R-River Vale) wants to trade that job for whip.

Bucco said he’ll fill leadership slots soon.

“We’ve got some very talented senators in our caucus,” he said

Five other Republican senators are already in leadership: Pennacchio (R-Montville) and Singer (R-Lakewood) are assistant minority leaders; Declan O’Scanlon is the Republican budget officer.

The move marks a meteoric rise for Bucco, who gave up a clear path to succeed Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) as Assembly Minority Leader when he moved up to the Senate following the death of his father, State Sen. Anthony R. Bucco (R-Boonton) in 2019.

This story was updated at 9:38 AM with comment from Bucco.