Ronald L. Rice (December 18, 1945 – March 15, 2023) was an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1986 to 2022. He represented the 28th Legislative District. Rice is one of the longest-serving state senators in New Jersey history.New Jersey’s longest serving State Senators, Observer (September 7, 2009).Donyéa, Tennyson. "", WHYY-FM, August 27, 2022. Accessed August 31, 2022. "New Jersey Senator Ronald Rice (D-Essex) announced he would retire later this month. He is the longest-serving Black Senator in state history, according to his colleagues in the Legislature. Rice was elected to the state Senate in 1986."
Early life Rice received an A.S. from Essex County College in Police Science, a B.S. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Administration and Planning, and an M.A. from Rutgers University in Criminal Justice. He has also attended but never graduated from the Rutgers School of Law—Newark. He served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marines from 1966 to 1970, in the Vietnam War.Benson, Josh. "Who Is Ronald Rice Anyway?", The New York Times, April 23, 2006. Accessed November 4, 2018. "A Vietnam veteran and former Newark police officer, Mr. Rice has served for the past two decades as a public official in Trenton and Newark, and has long wanted to be mayor." Before entering politics, Rice was a police officer with the Newark Police Department for eight years, then a security employee for PSE&G.Kelly, Mike. "Ronald Rice's lonely quest to block legal pot", The Record, March 15, 2019. Accessed January 31, 2022.
Newark City Council Rice served 16 years on the Newark City Council (1982-1998), and he was the Deputy Mayor of Newark from 2002 until March 2006. He stepped down as deputy mayor in order to run for mayor. As dual office holding was not banned in New Jersey, he was able to serve on both the city council and in the State Senate at the same time.Strum, Charles. "New Jersey Politicians Serve Public, Twice", The New York Times, December 27, 1992. Accessed January 31, 2022. "This can result in the full-service public servant, like Mayor William J. Pascrell Jr. of Paterson, a Democrat who is also a State Assemblyman; Councilman Ronald L. Rice of Newark, a Democrat who is also a State Senator, and Assemblyman John E. Rooney of Bergen County, a Republican who is also Mayor of tiny Northvale."
New Jersey Senate Following the death of John P. Caufield in August 1986, Rice was elected in a special election to serve the 28th district and was seated on December 4, 1986. He never received less than two thirds of the vote in any of his Senate general elections, though he faced close challenges in the Democratic primaries from Laurence Brown in 1997, Assemblyman Willie B. Brown in 2001, and Freeholder D. Bilal Beasley in 2007. He was one of only two Democrats in the Senate to vote no on two bills to legalize same-sex marriage in New Jersey in 2009 and 2012, the other twice-dissenting Democrat was Jeff Van Drew.Staff. "N.J. Senate approves bill legalizing gay marriage", The Star-Ledger, February 13, 2012. Accessed June 24, 2012. "Two Democrats, Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) and Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May), voted no." Rice was one of New Jersey's presidential electors in the 2004 presidential election, for Democratic candidate John Kerry.2004 Presidential Election: Electoral College Members, National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed July 10, 2007. He was a leading opponent of legislation in the 218th New Jersey Legislature to legalize marijuana in New Jersey, arguing that legalization would force urban neighborhoods to "struggle against the spread of 'marijuana bodegas' disguised as dispensaries".Corasaniti, Nick. "Effort to Legalize Marijuana in New Jersey Collapses", The New York Times, March 25, 2019. Accessed January 31, 2022. "'The public has not properly been educated on the topic of recreational marijuana,’’ said Senator Ronald L. Rice, a Democrat who represents Newark and emerged as one of the main opponents of legalization. 'People don’t realize, particularly people in urban communities, how it will affect their lives. In urban communities, neighborhoods will struggle against the spread of 'marijuana bodegas' disguised as dispensaries.'"
Committees Committee assignments for the current session (until his resignation on August 31, 2022) are:Senator Ronald Rice, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 30, 2022. Community and Urban Affairs, Vice-Chair Joint Committee on Housing Affordability Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunities Joint Committee on the Public Schools Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens
District 28 Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022. The representatives from the 28th District for the 2022—23 Legislative Session are:Legislative Roster for District 28, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2022. Senator Ronald Rice (D) Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D) Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D)
Newark mayoral bids 1998 Rice had run unsuccessfully for Mayor of Newark in 1998 being defeated by incumbent mayor (and future Senate colleague) Sharpe James, who won with 56% of the vote; Rice was in second, with 28%.Smothers, Ronald. "Newark Mayor Wins Vote, Defeating 2 for a 4th Term", The New York Times, May 13, 1998. Accessed January 31, 2022. "Sharpe James won a fourth term as Mayor of New Jersey's largest city tonight, capping a campaign that had relentlessly stressed good news, such as the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and new housing development.... In unofficial results, with 181 of the 182 city election districts reporting, Mr. James had 23,402 votes, or 56 percent of the ballots cast. His nearest opponent, Councilman Ronald Rice of the city's West Ward, had 11,513 votes, while Councilwoman Mildred Crump had 7,158."
2006 On March 6, 2006, Rice entered the mayoral race again, noting "that Mayor James had encouraged him to run but noted that if the mayor decided to join the race, his candidacy could change.""Metro Briefing - Newark: Deputy Mayor Enters The Race", The New York Times, March 6, 2006. Accessed January 31, 2022. On March 27, 2006, James announced that he would not seek a sixth term, preferring to focus on his seat in the New Jersey Senate. Sharpe Drops Out: James cites only his position against holding dual offices NJ.com / Star-Ledger, March 28, 2006. On Election Day, May 9, 2006, Newark's nonpartisan election took place. Former City Councilman Cory Booker won with 72% of the vote, soundly defeating Rice, the runner-up, who received 23%.Elects Cory Booker to Be New Mayor: Newark Elects Cory Booker First New Mayor in Two Decades in Landslide Victory, ABC News, May 9, 2006.
Personal life and death Rice left office on August 31, 2022, due to health issues. He died on March 15, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey. He was 77.Senator Ronald L. Rice has Died
His son, Ronald C. Rice, is a former city councilman in Newark, New Jersey.
References
External links Senator Rice's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
“The Writing on the Wall” New Jersey Network, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting