{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Donna Simon | state_assembly = New Jersey | district = 16th | term_start = January 30, 2012 | term_end = January 12, 2016 | predecessor = Denise Coyle | successor = Andrew Zwicker | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|3|25}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | alma_mater = Union County Technical Institute, Kean College | spouse = Michael | children = 2 | website = }}
'''Donna M. Simon''' (born March 25, 1960) is an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 16th legislative district from January 30, 2012, until January 12, 2016. Prior to her Assembly career, she served on the Readington Township Committee.
==Biography== Simon was educated at Kean College and the School of Cardiac Technology at Union County Technical Institute. She is trained as a cardiovascular specialist.<ref name=NJGOP>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909162147/http://www.njassemblyrepublicans.com/?works=assemblywoman-donna-simon |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |url=http://www.njassemblyrepublicans.com/?works=assemblywoman-donna-simon |title=Assemblywoman Donna Simon |publisher=New Jersey Assembly Republicans |accessdate=January 16, 2016}}</ref>
Simon joined the Readington Township Board of Health in 2009.<ref name=NJGOP/> She first ran for elected office in November 2010 for a seat on the Readington Township Committee and began her term in January 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nj.com/messenger-gazette/index.ssf/2012/01/readingtons_donna_simon_chosen_to_take_the_late_peter_biondis_16th_district_assembly_seat.html |newspaper=Somerset Messenger-Gazette |title=Readington's Donna Simon chosen to take the late Peter Biondi's 16th District Assembly seat |date=January 20, 2012 |accessdate=October 24, 2012}}</ref>
In November 2011, Peter J. Biondi died two days after he was re-elected to his Assembly seat representing the 16th legislative district.<ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Megerian |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/peter_j_biondi_r_assemblyman_f.html |title=Assemblyman Peter J. Biondi (R-Somerset), dies at 69, days after re-election |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=November 10, 2011 |accessdate=October 24, 2012}}</ref> Jack Ciattarelli, who concurrently won District 16's other Assembly seat, was sworn in on December 5, 2011 to complete Biondi's unexpired term; Ciattarelli was sworn in for his first full term on January 10, 2012, leaving Biondi's seat vacant again. By a Republican convention of district delegates from Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties, Simon was selected on January 19, 2012 to fill Biondi's term pending a special election and was sworn in on January 30, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |first=Terry |last=Wright |url=http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2012/01/donna_simon_of_readington_is_s.html |title=Donna Simon of Readington is sworn in to State Assembly seat that Pete Biondi had held |newspaper=Hunterdon County Democrat |date=January 31, 2012 |accessdate=October 24, 2012}}</ref>
In the November 2012 special election to finish Biondi's term, Simon ran against Democrat Marie Corfield, a Raritan Township art teacher who achieved fame for facing off against Governor Chris Christie at a 2010 town hall meeting.<ref>{{cite news |first=Erin |last=Duffy |url=http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2012/10/assembly_candidates_duke_it_ou.html |title=Assembly candidates duke it out over taxes in 16th District |newspaper=The Times |date=October 21, 2012 |accessdate=October 24, 2012}}</ref> On November 7, a day after the election, unofficial results showed Simon leading Corfield by 1,700 votes, but Corfield refused to concede until all outstanding ballots were counted.<ref>{{cite news |first=Douglas B. |last=Brill |url=http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/hunterdon-county/express-times/index.ssf/2012/11/simon_corfield_nj_assembly_16_1.html |title=New Jersey Assembly race - Donna Simon-Marie Corfield - remains too close to call |newspaper=The Express-Times |date=November 7, 2012 |accessdate=November 7, 2012}}</ref> On November 30, Corfield conceded after final results showed Simon winning by about 1,000 votes.<ref>{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Friedman |url=http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/11/donna_simon_wins_tight_16th_di.html |title=Donna Simon wins tight 16th District Assembly race after opponent concedes |newspaper=The Star-Ledger |date=November 30, 2012 |accessdate=December 17, 2012}}</ref>
Simon was re-elected in 2013 alongside Ciattarelli. In 2015, the two faced a strong challenge from Democrats Andrew Zwicker and Maureen Vella. Election night results indicated that Ciattarelli placed first and was re-elected, Vella placed fourth, and the race for the second seat between Simon and Zwicker was "too close to call."<ref name=TooCloseToCall>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/11/elections_2015_assembly_race_in_16th_district_too.html|title=Elections 2015: Assembly race in 16th Dist. Not called|date=4 November 2015}}</ref> Three days after the election, Zwicker held a 67-vote lead over Simon with some provisional ballots remaining to be counted.<ref name=TooCloseToCall/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://politickernj.com/2015/11/ld16-countdown-zwicker-lead-over-simon-up-to-67/|title = New Jersey Politics | NJ Politics}}</ref> On November 9, 2015, the final provisional ballots were counted, with Zwicker finishing with a 78-vote lead over Simon.<ref>http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/2015/11/09/donna-simon-andrew-zwicker-election-results/75450134/ {{subscription required}}</ref> On November 16, 2015, Simon conceded the race to Zwicker and Republican officials stated that no recount will be requested.<ref name=Concedes>{{cite news |url=http://www.centraljersey.com/news/central-jersey-assemblywoman-donna-simon-officially-concedes-th-legislative-district/article_3a8bcb2e-8c95-11e5-964e-3ffa2e4c9c01.html |title=CENTRAL JERSEY: Assemblywoman Donna Simon officially concedes 16th Legislative District race |date=November 16, 2015 |author=Curran, Philip Sean |website=Packet Media Group |accessdate=January 16, 2016}}</ref> Simon later unsuccessfully ran again for the Assembly in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Joey |date=2021-10-27 |title=16th district Republicans fight to stanch the bleeding |url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/legislature/16th-district-republicans-fight-to-stanch-the-bleeding/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=New Jersey Globe |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deak |first=Mike |title=NJ Elections: Bateman survives difficult night for Republicans |url=https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/elections/2017/11/08/bateman-zwicker-freiman-win-surprising-election/841885001/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Courier News |language=en-US}}</ref>
While in the Assembly, she served on the Assembly Education and Telecommunications & Utilities committees in addition to the Joint Committee on the Public Schools.<ref name=NJLEG>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227074306/http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/bio.asp?Leg=354 |archive-date=December 27, 2015 |url=http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/bio.asp?Leg=354 |title=Assemblywoman Donna M. Simon (R) |publisher=New Jersey Legislature |accessdate=January 16, 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-nj-hs}} {{succession box |before=Denise Coyle |title=Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 16th District |with=Jack Ciattarelli |years=January 30, 2012 – January 12, 2016 |after=Andrew Zwicker}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, Donna}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:New Jersey city council members Category:Politicians from Hunterdon County, New Jersey Category:Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Category:People from Readington Township, New Jersey Category:Women state legislators in New Jersey Category:Union College (New Jersey) alumni Category:Women city councillors in New Jersey Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century members of the New Jersey Legislature Category:Jewish state legislators in New Jersey Category:Jewish American women in politics