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Kevin J. O'Toole

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Kevin J. O'Toole
Born (1964-10-05) October 5, 1964 (age 62)
Cedar Grove, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation(s)Politician, lawyer
Years active1989–present
Known forMember of the New Jersey Senate (2008–2017); Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (2017–)

Kevin J. O'Toole (born October 5, 1964) is a Republican politician from the United States who represented New Jersey's 40th legislative district in the New Jersey Senate from 2008 until 2017. This district includes areas within Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties.

O'Toole first secured election to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1995 and was re-elected five times. He had a brief tenure in the State Senate from May 2001 to January 2002 before winning a full term in November 2007. During his Senate service, he was a member of both the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Judiciary Committee, and also held the role of Senate Minority Whip.

In early 2016, O'Toole declared he would not pursue re-election in the 2017 cycle. The subsequent year, Governor Chris Christie nominated him for a six-year appointment on the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, filling the seat vacated by Pat Schuber. After confirmation by the State Senate in March 2017, O'Toole stepped down from his Senate position on July 1, 2017, to begin his duties as a Port Authority commissioner.

By August 2017, fellow commissioners elected O'Toole as chairman of the Port Authority's Board of Directors, succeeding John J. Degnan, who had led since 2014.

Early life and career

Born in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, O'Toole is the son of an Irish American father and a Korean mother who met during the Korean War. He completed his secondary education at Cedar Grove High School before earning both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Public Administration and a Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University in 1989. That same year, he passed the bar exam and undertook a clerkship with the office of the State Attorney General.

O'Toole entered politics at age 25 by joining the Cedar Grove Township Council, where he served from 1989 to 1996 and held the mayoralty during three separate terms: 1990–1991, 1993–1994, and 1995–1996. From 1997 to 2011, he chaired the Essex County Republican Committee, succeeding Jeanne Parke.

In 1995, O'Toole was elected to represent the 21st Legislative District in the General Assembly. His leadership roles included Deputy Republican Leader between 2004 and 2008 and Assistant Majority Leader from 1998 to 2001. He briefly served in the State Senate for eight months in 2001 prior to redistricting changes.

He secured election to the State Senate representing the 40th District in 2007, taking over from Republican Henry McNamara. His Assembly colleagues David C. Russo and Scott Rumana also won their respective races that year.

Following his brother’s passing in 2011, O'Toole stepped down as Essex County Republican Committee Chairman and endorsed Al Barlas as his successor; Barlas currently serves as O'Toole’s Chief of Staff.

Professionally, O'Toole practices law with O'Toole Fernandez Weiner Vanlieu LLC. He lives with his wife Bethany and their two children, Kevin Jr. and Ryan Marie.

State legislator

During his tenure, O'Toole sponsored legislation aimed at overhauling welfare programs, reinforcing laws against domestic violence, and escalating sanctions for discriminatory practices by both businesses and individuals. He also advocated for mandatory insurance coverage for mammograms and cancer therapies, worked to safeguard Sterling Forest State Park, and pushed for increased government openness. A proponent of ethics reform, O'Toole was the initial architect of pension reform initiatives in New Jersey. His legislative agenda further included efforts to simplify government operations, enhance educational opportunities, protect natural resources, reduce property tax burdens, promote the 529 college savings plan, and ban campaign donations from contractors engaged with the government.

In 2013, O'Toole mounted a challenge against Thomas Kean Jr. for leadership of the Republican Senate caucus. This move was supported by Governor Chris Christie, who sought a change in strategy after the Senate failed to make gains despite his own re-election victory with more than 60% of the vote. The leadership contest concluded with Kean retaining his position by a 10–6 vote within the caucus. Subsequently, in the next legislative session, Kean removed O'Toole from his role as Minority Whip.

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