Dean Anderson Gallo (November 23, 1935 – November 6, 1994) was an American politician and businessman who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 11th congressional district from 1985 until his death from prostate cancer in Denville, New Jersey, in 1994.

Dean Anderson Gallo
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 11th district
In office
January 3, 1985 – November 6, 1994
Preceded byJoseph Minish
Succeeded byRodney Frelinghuysen
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office
January 13, 1976 – January 3, 1985
Preceded byJohn J. Sinsimer
Succeeded byRobert J. Martin
Constituency24th District (1976–1982)
26th District (1982–1985)
Minority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office
January 1982 – January 1984
Preceded byJames R. Hurley
Succeeded byChuck Hardwick
Personal details
Born(1935-11-23)November 23, 1935
Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedNovember 6, 1994(1994-11-06) (aged 58)
Denville, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Anne Schwenker Gallo (divorced)
Betty Gallo
Children2
Residence(s)Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationRealtor

Early life edit

Gallo was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the son of Dean and Selma Gallo. He grew up in Boonton, New Jersey, and attended public schools in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, before graduating from Boonton High School in 1954.[1][2]

Career edit

He spent his career as a realtor and real estate developer, and was an owner of Gallo & DeCroce, a firm he started with another future elected official, Alex DeCroce.[3]

Local politics edit

Gallo was elected to the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council in 1967, and served as council president from 1968 to 1971. He was elected to the Morris County Board of Freeholders in 1971 to fill an unexpired term, and elected to a full three-year term in 1972. He was the freeholder director from 1973 to 1975. In 1974, Gallo considered running for New Jersey's 5th congressional district, which included all of Somerset and parts of Essex, Mercer and Morris counties, including his hometown of Parsippany. The Republican incumbent, Peter Frelinghuysen, was retiring after 22 years. However, Gallo ultimately did not run and instead endorsed Assembly Minority Leader Thomas Kean, who narrowly lost the GOP primary to Millicent Fenwick.[4]

New Jersey Assembly edit

In 1975, Gallo became a candidate for New Jersey's 24th legislative district, which included part of Morris County and Summit in Union County. Gallo won the Republican primary by a more than 2–1 margin against four other candidates, W. Thomas Tintle, Gerard R. Hughes, Jack Newberger and Raymond F. Bonnell.[5] In the general election, he defeated two-term Democratic Assemblyman John J. Sinsimer by 6,605 votes, 26,277 to 19,672.[6] Gallo faced Sinsimer again in 1977 and won by an even greater margin, 15,505 votes, 33,306 to 17,801.[7] He was re-elected by similar margins in 1979, 1981, and 1983.[citation needed] Gallo was elected Assembly Minority Leader in 1981 and was re-elected to a second term in 1983.[citation needed]

U.S. House of Representatives edit

New Jersey's congressional map drawn after the 1980 United States census was thrown out in 1984 on the grounds that the variations in district populations were too large. A panel of federal judges substituted a new map that significantly altered the 11th District, home to 11-term Democratic incumbent Joseph Minish. Democratic-tilting towns in Essex, Hudson, southern Bergen and Passaic counties were cut out. To make up for the loss in population, the district was pushed further west to include all of heavily Republican Morris County. It also absorbed several equally Republican areas in Sussex and Warren counties and retained the more Republican areas of Essex County. Gallo immediately entered the race; the redrawn 11th included his home in Parsippany. Minish was thought to face very difficult odds for reelection, but opted to run in the 11th after considering a run in another district.[8]

Ultimately, Gallo defeated Minish by 27,624 votes, 133,662 (56%) to 106,038 (44%).[9] He was undoubtedly helped by Ronald Reagan's landslide reelection bid that year. Gallo's campaign was managed by Assemblyman (and later Congressman) Bob Franks. He was easily re-elected in 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1992 in what became one of the most Republican districts in the Northeast. Gallo served on the House Appropriations Committee, and joined the House Republican leadership as a Deputy Minority Whip.[citation needed]

In 1994, Gallo faced a primary challenge from Dr. Joseph Pennacchio, a considerably more conservative Republican. Pennacchio spent over $200,000 of his own money attacking Gallo. Gallo won 26,492 (65.28%) to 10,917 (26.90%) in a four-candidate race.[10]

Personal life edit

Gallo had been treated for prostate cancer in 1992 and the cancer returned in 1994. He withdrew as a candidate for re-election on August 29, 1994, and died on November 6, 1994, at age 58.[11] Assemblyman Rodney Frelinghuysen was named to replace Gallo on the ballot, and was elected two days after Gallo's death.

The Dean and Betty Gallo Prostate Cancer Center at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey is named in his honor.[12]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Barone, Michael; Ujifusa, Grant (1987). The Almanac of American Politics 1988. p. 759. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Kuzma, David. "Inventory to the Dean A. Gallo Congressional Papers", Rutgers University. Accessed November 26, 2017. "1935: On November 23rd, Dean Anderson Gallo is born in Hackensack, New Jersey. (Subsequently grows up in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, Morris County, New Jersey.); 1954: Graduates from Boonton High School, Boonton, New Jersey."
  3. ^ Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual of New Jersey. Trenton, NJ: Joseph J. Gribbons. 1986.
  4. ^ "Wide-Open Race Is Seen for Frelinghuysen's Seat; 'Most Republican District'". New York Times. March 10, 1974.
  5. ^ "Our Campaigns". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  6. ^ "Our Campaigns". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  7. ^ "Our Campaigns". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  8. ^ Sullivan, Joseph F. (February 26, 1984). "Democrats Take Districting Fight Back To Court". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  9. ^ "Our Campaigns". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  10. ^ "Our Campaigns". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  11. ^ Pace, Eric. "U.S. Rep. Dean A. Gallo, 58, New Jersey Republican, Dies", The New York Times, November 7, 1994; accessed May 26, 2010.
  12. ^ "Gallo Cancer Center". menshealthnetwork.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.

External links edit

New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 24th district

1976–1982
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 26th district

1982–1985
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 11th congressional district

1985–1994
Succeeded by