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Nia H. Gill began her career in government and law over 20 years ago, first as a legislative aide to the late Senator Wynona Lipman and today as a practicing attorney and New Jersey State Senator. On January 12, 2010, Gill was selected by her Senate colleagues to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore, the second highest ranking position in the State Senate. Prior to her selection she served four terms in the New Jersey State Assembly. Currently Gill serves as the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, which deals with all banking, insurance, regulated professions and consumer affairs issues for the Senate. She is also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is the first African American and the first woman to sit on this Committee. Nia Gill ran for the vacancy of the 10th congressional seat, under the platform to elect "the first woman to the 10th congressional district seat of New Jersey, and the first African American woman to congress in New Jersey." New Jersey has a longstanding reputation as a Democratic state, but not since the late 1970's has a Democratic woman represented the Garden State as a member of Congress. Gill was one of six Democratic women seeking their party's nomination for June 5 for congressional seats throughout New Jersey. She lost her bid to the late Donald Payne's son, Donald Payne Jr., he won in a landslide victory securing 59 percent of the votes. Gill received 17 percent. In her concession speech at her campaign headquarters on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, she said "We put up a good fight. We put up an honorable fight." she went on to explain that despite the lack of funds and institutional power they thought it was important to fight anyway. Nia was supported by NOW, the largest, most comprehensive feminist advocacy group in the United States. Rita Spaulding President of the group announced on June 2, 2012 that after an interview with Senator Gill, she was " pleased with her positions on women's rights and economic justice that they recommended that the PAC for National NOW endorse Senator Gill." Gill's support includes amending the U.S. Constitution to state that women have equal rights. She also supports expanding Medicare to cover everyone. Gill also supports the current NJ bill that would raise the NJ minimm wage, and index it to the cost of living. On Gill's website she focuses on three main topics, Creating Jobs and Opportunities, Fighting for Women and Families, and Better Health Care for New Jersey. As one of the sponsor of the " New Jersey Micro-Business Credit Act," Gill was able to assist New Jersey women-owned small businesses by providing loans. She also sponsored the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act" which would increase penalties and enforcement. Gill is also noted to have sponsored the law that expanded health insurance coverage for adults age, 18-30, which helped more than 100,000 uninsured individuals in the state. She also fought for the passage of a law that allowed needle exchange programs to help save lives and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, New Jersey ranks number one for women infected with the disease.