Steven V. Oroho (born July 26, 1958) is an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey Senate from January 8, 2008, to January 9. 2024, where he represented the 24th Legislative District. Oroho served as State Senate Minority Leader after being elected during a State Senate Republicans Caucus meeting, replacing Thomas Kean Jr.[1]
Oroho announced in January 2023 that he would not seek another term in the November 2023 general election.[2] On July 1, 2023, he stepped down as Senate Minority Leader.[3]
Oroho announced in 2007 that he would seek the Republican nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Robert Littell. With Littell's endorsement, he ran in a competitive primary against AssemblymanGuy Gregg.[6] Oroho out-raised Gregg during the primary campaign.[6][7] Oroho sought to portray himself as a small government conservative during the campaign.[7] He won the primary and the general election in the Republican 24th district.
Republican Daniel Cruz challenged Oroho in the June 3, 2021 primary.[8]
Tenure
Oroho opposes same-sex marriage and has been the senate sponsor of legislation that would allow a public vote in the form of a ballot question to determine whether it should be legalized or banned in New Jersey.[9] He is the primary sponsor of that legislation in the Senate. In June 2009 he was one of seven senators to vote against putting open space bond question on the November ballot.[10] Oroho serves in the Senate on the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Economic Growth Committee.[11] He served on the Franklin Borough Council from 2001 to 2006 and on the Sussex CountyBoard of Chosen Freeholders from 2005 to 2007.[11][12] In 2018 Oroho made calls to bring back the death penalty in New Jersey.[13][14]
^Johnson, Brent. "Top Republican in N.J. Senate surprisingly says he won’t seek re-election", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 30, 2023. Accessed January 31, 2023. "State Senate Minority Leader Steve Oroho, the highest-ranking Republican in the New Jersey Legislature, announced Monday he won’t seek re-election to the Senate this fall after 16 years in office — a surprise decision that guarantees at least one leadership shakeup in Trenton next year."
^Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, Volume 213, p. 239. E. J. Mullin, 2008. Accessed July 7, 2023. "Steve V. Oroho, Rep., Franklin (Sussex)... Senator Oroho was born July 26, 1958, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and raised in West Milford. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from St. Francis University, Loretto, Pa., in 1980."
^"Daniel Cruz". Ballotpedia. January 23, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
^Friedman, Matt. "Leery of poll data, GOP legislators call for a vote on gay marriage"Archived 2009-02-25 at the Wayback Machine, PolitickerNJ, February 19, 2009. Accessed April 24, 2012. "McHose sponsored legislation in the assembly that would create a ballot question to amend the state constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Her district-mate, state Sen. Steve Oroho, is the prime sponsor of the senate version."
^Pizarro, Max. "Senate reconvenes, passes open space bond question"Archived 2009-09-04 at the Wayback Machine, PolitickerNJ, June 25, 2009. Accessed April 24, 2012. "In a sign of the first significant public dissent of the day here, state Sen. Steve Oroho (R-Franklin) just stood and expressed his opposition to the open space bond question, which already passed in the Assembly earlier in the evening. "
