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Benjie Wimberly

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Benjie Wimberly
Speaker pro tempore of the New Jersey General Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 11, 2022
Preceded byGordon M. Johnson
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 35th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 10, 2012
Serving with Shavonda E. Sumter
Preceded by
Personal details
Born (1964-12-01) December 1, 1964 (age 60)
Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKimberlynn
Children4
EducationVirginia State University (BA)
WebsiteLegislative website

Benjie E. Wimberly (born December 1, 1964) is an American teacher and Democratic Party politician who represents the 35th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly. He was also the head coach of the football team at Hackensack High School and is serving as the recreation director of Paterson.

Education

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Wimberly graduated from Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, and Virginia State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.[1][2]

Football coach

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Wimberly was an assistant coach for Eastside High School in Paterson from 1989 through 1994.[3] He then served as the head coach of the football team at Paterson Catholic High School from 1995 through 2010, when the school ceased operations.[3] In his last seven years at Paterson Catholic, Wimberly amassed a 70–3 win–loss record, and mentored Victor Cruz.[3] During his 16 years as coach, Paterson Catholic won seven state championships.[1] Wimberly became the head coach of the football team at Hackensack High School in 2012, succeeding Mike Miello.[1][3][4] He is also serving as Paterson's Recreation Director.[5]

Elective office

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In 2010, Wimberly was elected to the Paterson city council.[1][5][6] Several of his former students volunteered for his campaign, as he courted the youth vote in a method similar to Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election.[7]

Wimberly won election to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2011,[6] and was reelected in 2013.[8]

Wimberly considered a run for mayor of Paterson in the 2014 election.[6]

In 2020, he was one of the co-sponsors of Assembly Bill 4454 (now N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.36a) which requires that a curriculum on diversity and inclusion be part of the school curriculum for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.[9]

In 2024, following the death of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Wimberly briefly campaigned to be the replacement Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives election for New Jersey's 9th congressional district, but eventually withdrew.[10]

Committee assignments

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Committee assignments for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[2]

  • Budget (as vice-chair)
  • Higher Education
  • Housing

District 35

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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.[11] The representatives from the 35th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[12]

Electoral history

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35th Legislative District General Election, 2023[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Benjie E. Wimberly (incumbent) 12,320 50.2
Democratic Shavonda Sumter (incumbent) 12,214 49.8
Total votes 24,534 100.0
Democratic hold
Democratic hold
35th legislative district general election, 2021[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Benjie E. Wimberly (incumbent) 20,276 34.56%
Democratic Shavonda Sumter (incumbent) 20,235 34.49%
Republican Ramzy Yamisha 9,166 15.62%
Republican Iman Majagah 8,990 15.32%
Total votes 58,667 100.0
Democratic hold
35th Legislative District General Election, 2019
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Benjie Wimberly (incumbent) 13,213 43.61%
Democratic Shavonda Sumter (incumbent) 13,173 43.48%
Republican Tamer Mamkej 3,909 12.9%
Total votes 30,295 100%

Personal life

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Wimberly and his wife, Kimberlyn, have four children.[1] His oldest son Justin played high school football for Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey.[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Football: New Hackensack coach Benjie Wimberly to juggle range of positions". NorthJersey.com. March 1, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly (D), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Idec, Keith. "Hackensack expected to name Benjie Wimberly", The Record, February 22, 2012. Accessed November 6, 2013.
  4. ^ Jerry McCrea/The Star-Ledger. "State Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly hopes to right ship for Hackensack football program". NJ.com. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Cunningham, Jennifer H. "Wimberly, Paterson’s recreation director, wins city council seat", The Record, May 11, 2012. Accessed May 3, 2012. "Running on a platform of safer streets and an improved quality of life, newcomer Benjie E. Wimberly, the city’s recreation director, swept to victory on the City Council, followed closely by incumbent Kenneth M. Morris Jr. and newcomer Kenneth D. McDaniel Jr."
  6. ^ a b c "Wimberly weighs mayoral run in Paterson". NorthJersey.com. October 15, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  7. ^ "Young voters the difference". NorthJersey.com. May 18, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  8. ^ "NJ-Winners". KansasCity.com. September 15, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  9. ^ Bill A4454 AcaSca (2R) Session 2020 - 2021, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 27, 2022.
  10. ^ Wimberly withdraws from NJ-9 congressional race, New Jersey Globe, Aug. 28, 2024
  11. ^ New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  12. ^ Legislative Roster for District 35, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2024.
  13. ^ "Candidates for General Assembly - For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2023 Election" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  14. ^ "Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  15. ^ Idec, Keith. "Emptiness overtakes Wimberly", The Record, September 10, 2010. Accessed November 6, 2013. "Wimberly will see plenty of Don Bosco games, too. Two of his former players, junior safety/running back Elijah Shumate and sophomore defensive end Al-quadine Muhammad, transferred there. The eldest of Wimberly’s four sons, Justin, is a sophomore wide receiver for the national powerhouse as well."
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New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 35th district
2012–present
Served alongside: Shavonda E. Sumter 		Incumbent
Preceded by Speaker pro tempore of the New Jersey General Assembly
2022–present
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