33rd Legislative District (New Jersey)

33rd Legislative District (New Jersey) is a legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature located within the northern and coastal sections of Monmouth County. Established following the 1973 reapportionment, the district is currently represented in the New Jersey Senate by Republican Sean T. Kean and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Republicans Edward H. Thomson and Marilyn Piperno. The district encompasses a mix of suburban and shore communities along the Jersey Shore.

District composition

The 33rd Legislative District includes all or portions of fifteen municipalities in Monmouth County. The district's coastal portion contains the cities of Asbury Park, Long Branch, and Ocean Township. Inland municipalities include Freehold Township, Howell Township, and Wall Township. Other communities within the district are Farmingdale, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Allenhurst, Deal, and Sea Girt. The district boundaries were last redrawn by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission following the 2020 United States Census.

Representation

The district is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Republican Sean T. Kean, who previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2002 to 2008. Kean succeeded his brother, former Senator Thomas Kean Jr., who left to run for the United States House of Representatives. The two Assembly members are Republicans Edward H. Thomson, a former municipal court judge in Wall Township, and Marilyn Piperno, a business owner and former member of the Colts Neck Township Committee. All three legislators are members of the Republican Party and serve on various legislative committees in Trenton.

Election results

In the 2023 legislative elections, the Republican incumbents were re-elected. Sean T. Kean defeated Democratic challenger Michael Penna for the Senate seat. For the Assembly seats, Edward H. Thomson and Marilyn Piperno defeated the Democratic ticket of Michele Dowling and Joseph Lukac III. Historically, the district has been competitive but has trended Republican in recent cycles; in the 2021 election, the Republican candidates won by margins of approximately 10-12 percentage points. The district's electorate has supported Republican candidates in races for Governor and President, including Chris Christie and Donald Trump.

Historical representation

The district was created in 1973, with its first representatives being Democrats John F. Russo in the Senate and John Paul Doyle and Anthony M. Villane in the Assembly. A significant political shift occurred in 1991 when Republican Joseph A. Palaia won the Senate seat, beginning a period of Republican dominance. Notable former Assembly members include Joseph Azzolina, a longtime Naval Militia officer and businessman, and Clare Farragher. The district's Senate seat was held by Thomas Kean Jr. from 2003 until 2022, when he was succeeded by his brother, the current senator. The Assembly delegation transitioned from Democratic to Republican control in the early 1990s and has remained under Republican representation since.

Demographics

According to data from the 2020 United States Census, the district had a population of 232,202. The racial composition is predominantly White (78.5%), with significant Hispanic or Latino (12.1%) and Black or African American (5.8%) populations. The largest ethnic enclaves include Hispanic communities in Long Branch and Asbury Park. The median household income is approximately $105,000, above the state average, with higher-income areas in Sea Girt and Spring Lake. Educational attainment is high, with over 40% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. The district includes parts of the New York metropolitan area and has a mix of year-round residential and seasonal shore communities.

Category:New Jersey legislative districts