# Richard Bagger
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{{Short description|American politician (born 1960)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Rich Bagger
|state_senate = New Jersey
|district = [21st](/source/New_Jersey's_21st_legislative_district)
|term_start = January 8, 2002
|term_end = January 15, 2003
|predecessor = [Kevin J. O'Toole](/source/Kevin_J._O'Toole)
|successor = [Thomas Kean Jr.](/source/Thomas_Kean_Jr.)
|state_assembly1 = New Jersey
|district1 = [22nd](/source/New_Jersey's_22nd_legislative_district)
|term_start1 = January 14, 1992
|term_end1 = January 8, 2002
|predecessor1 = [Maureen Ogden](/source/Maureen_Ogden)
|successor1 = [Jerry Green](/source/Jerry_Green_(politician))
[Linda Stender](/source/Linda_Stender)
|birth_name = Richard Hartvig Bagger
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|3|27}}
|birth_place = [Plainfield, New Jersey](/source/Plainfield%2C_New_Jersey), U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))
|education = [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University) ([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts))
{{nowrap|[Rutgers University, Newark](/source/Rutgers_University%E2%80%93Newark) ([JD](/source/Juris_Doctor))}}
}}
'''Richard Hartvig Bagger''' (born March 27, 1960) is an American [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) politician from [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey), and former [State Senator](/source/New_Jersey_Senate) who later served as chief of staff to Governor [Chris Christie](/source/Chris_Christie).[[http://www.politickernj.com/editor/35238/bagger-will-be-christies-chief-staff Bagger Will Be Christie's Chief of Staff], [Politicker NJ](/source/Politicker_Network). Accessed December 3, 2009.] He left the Christie administration in early 2012, and is now an Executive Vice President with [Celgene](/source/Celgene). He is a resident of [Westfield, New Jersey](/source/Westfield%2C_New_Jersey).
==Life and career==
Bagger was born in [Plainfield, New Jersey](/source/Plainfield%2C_New_Jersey). Raised in nearby Westfield, Bagger attended [Westfield High School](/source/Westfield_High_School_(New_Jersey)).[Lazarus, David. [https://patch.com/new-jersey/westfield/bagger-focuses-speech-on-govs-fiscal-plan "Bagger Focuses Speech on Gov's Fiscal Plan; Former mayor and senator discusses role as governor's chief of staff."], Westfield, NJ Patch, April 15, 2011. Accessed December 5, 2022. "Bagger, who attended Wilson Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, Westfield High School and Princeton University, got his political start as a member of the Westfield Planning Board."] He received an [A.B.](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) in 1982 from the [School of Public and International Affairs](/source/Princeton_School_of_Public_and_International_Affairs) at [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University) and a [J.D.](/source/Juris_Doctor) from [Rutgers University School of Law](/source/Rutgers_Law_School).[
Bagger served as a Planning Board member, Councilman, and [Mayor of Westfield, New Jersey](/source/Mayor_of_Westfield%2C_New_Jersey) during the 1980s and 1990s.][ He was elected to the [New Jersey General Assembly](/source/New_Jersey_General_Assembly) from the [22nd Legislative District](/source/New_Jersey's_22nd_legislative_district) in 1991, succeeding [Chuck Hardwick](/source/Chuck_Hardwick), his longtime mentor. During his time as an assemblyman, he served as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and was elected to be Majority Conference Leader. In 2000, he declined a race to succeed [Bob Franks](/source/Bob_Franks) in [Congress](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives). In 2001, he was elected to the [New Jersey Senate](/source/New_Jersey_Senate) for the [21st Legislative District](/source/New_Jersey's_21st_legislative_district). He resigned as a [State Senator](/source/State_Senator) in 2003 in order to pursue private business interests and was succeeded by [Thomas Kean Jr.](/source/Thomas_Kean_Jr.) Bagger remained a political leader in [Union County](/source/Union_County%2C_New_Jersey) after leaving the legislature.
Earlier in his career, Bagger was an Assistant General Counsel to [Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey](/source/Horizon_Blue_Cross_and_Blue_Shield_of_New_Jersey) and practiced law with the firm of [McCarter and English](/source/McCarter_and_English).][ After leaving the Senate, he worked as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy for [Pfizer](/source/Pfizer).][[http://www.njn.net/about/foundation/bagger.html Richard H. Bagger - NJN Foundation Board of Trustees] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061201024942/http://www.njn.net/about/foundation/bagger.html |date=2006-12-01 }}, accessed April 13, 2007.] He also was a member of the NJN Foundation Board of Trustees as well as Board Chair of the Healthcare Institute of New Jersey and the National Pharmaceutical Council.[{{Cite web|title=Celgene EVP Richard Bagger Elected National Pharmaceutical Council Board Chair {{!}} National Pharmaceutical Council|url=https://www.npcnow.org/newsroom/press-releases/celgene-evp-richard-bagger-elected-national-pharmaceutical-council-board|access-date=2020-12-30|website=www.npcnow.org}}] In December 2009, then-Governor-elect Chris Christie appointed Bagger as his chief of staff.[{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=Star-Ledger Continuous News |date=2009-12-03 |title=N.J. Gov.-elect Chris Christie selects Richard Bagger as chief of staff |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2009/12/gov-elect_chris_christie_selec.html |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=nj |language=en}}] He served in that role until January 2012.
Bagger served on the [Port Authority of New York and New Jersey](/source/Port_Authority_of_New_York_and_New_Jersey) Board of Commissioners, having been confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate on June 28, 2012[{{cite web|title=Board of Commissioners|url=http://www.panynj.gov/corporate-information/board-commissioners.html}}] and remained on the Board until June 2021. He was Chair of the Gateway Program Development Corporation in 2017, served on the Board of the [National September 11 Memorial and Museum](/source/National_September_11_Memorial_%26_Museum) while a Port Authority Commissioner, and joined the Board of the [Regional Plan Association](/source/Regional_Plan_Association) in 2022.[{{Cite web |title=RPA Welcomes Seven New Members to Board of Directors |url=https://rpa.org/latest/lab/board-of-directors-october-2022 |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=RPA |language=en-US}}]
Bagger was Executive Director of the 2016 [transition planning team](/source/First_presidential_transition_of_Donald_Trump) of [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump), after [Chris Christie](/source/Chris_Christie) endorsed Trump and was named Chair of the planning group.[{{citation|author=David Smith|title=Chris Christie dropped as head of Trump's White House transition team|date=11 November 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/11/chris-christie-dropped-trump-transition-team|work=[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)|access-date=12 November 2016}}][{{citation|author=Michael D. Shear, Michael S. Schmidt, and Maggie Habermannov|title=Vice President-Elect Pence to Take Over Trump Transition Effort|date=11 November 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/us/politics/trump-cabinet.html|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|access-date=12 November 2016}}][{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/chris-christie-endorses-donald-trump/index.html|title=Chris Christie endorses Donald Trump|author=Jeremy Diamond, Jake Tapper, Phil Mattingly and Stephen Collinson, CNN|date=February 26, 2016|work=CNN|access-date=February 27, 2016}}][{{Cite news|last1=Burns|first1=Alexander|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|date=2016-06-30|title=Chris Christie Becomes Powerful Figure in Donald Trump Campaign|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/us/politics/chris-christie-donald-trump.html|access-date=2021-08-15|issn=0362-4331}}] After Christie was dropped by Trump as leader of the transition team in favor of [Mike Pence](/source/Mike_Pence), Bagger left the transition team on the same day.[{{Cite web|title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-key-additions-administration-16/|access-date=2020-12-30|via=[National Archives](/source/NARA)|work=[whitehouse.gov](/source/whitehouse.gov)|language=en-US}}] and served there until 2021.
Bagger is also an adjunct faculty member of the [Eagleton Institute](/source/Eagleton_Institute_of_Politics) at [Rutgers University](/source/Rutgers_University),[{{Cite web|title=Eagleton Faculty, Staff and Visiting Associates|url=https://live-ru-eip.pantheonsite.io/eagleton-faculty-staff-and-visiting-associates/|access-date=2020-12-30|website=Eagleton Institute of Politics|language=en-US}}] and a Director of [Tonix Pharmaceuticals](/source/Tonix_Pharmaceuticals),[{{Cite web|title=Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Appointment of Richard H. Bagger to Board of Directors|url=https://www.tonixpharma.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1204/tonix-pharmaceuticals-announces-appointment-of-richard-h|access-date=2021-08-15|website=www.tonixpharma.com|language=en}}] the [Leukemia and Lymphoma Society](/source/Leukemia_%26_Lymphoma_Society),[{{Cite web |title=Rich Bagger {{!}} Leukemia and Lymphoma Society |url=https://www.lls.org/person/rich-bagger |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=www.lls.org}}] and the [U.S. Chamber of Commerce](/source/United_States_Chamber_of_Commerce).[{{Cite web|date=2019-12-19|title=Richard Bagger|url=https://www.uschamber.com/richard-bagger|access-date=2021-08-15|website=U.S. Chamber of Commerce|language=en}}]
== Election history ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+[2001 New Jersey general election](/source/2001_New_Jersey_State_Senate_election)
! colspan="2" |Party
!Candidate
!Votes
!%
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''Richard H. Bagger'''
|'''41,539'''
|'''58.6'''
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Ellen Steinberg
|29,342
|41.4
|-
! colspan="3" |Total votes
|'''70,881'''
|'''100.0'''
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+New Jersey general election, 1999
! colspan="2" |Party
!Candidate
!Votes
!%
!±%
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''Richard H. Bagger'''
|'''24,405'''
|'''50.4'''
| '''17.9'''
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''[Alan M. Augustine](/source/Alan_Augustine)'''
|'''24,004'''
|'''49.6'''
| '''17.8'''
|-
! colspan="3" |Total votes
|'''48,409'''
|'''100.0'''
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+New Jersey general election, 1997
! colspan="2" |Party
!Candidate
!Votes
!%
!±%
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''Richard H. Bagger'''
|'''43,421'''
|'''32.5'''
| '''3.3'''
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''[Alan M. Augustine](/source/Alan_Augustine)'''
|'''42,479'''
|'''31.8'''
| '''3.3'''
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Andrew Baron
|22,368
|16.7
|2.5
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Norman Albert
|22,110
|16.5
|2.6
|-
|
|[Conservative](/source/New_Jersey_Conservative_Party)
|Douglas Lawless
|1,688
|1.3
|0.8
|-
|
|[Conservative](/source/New_Jersey_Conservative_Party)
|Norman A. Ross
|1,635
|1.2
|0.8
|-
! colspan="3" |Total votes
|'''133,701'''
|'''100.0'''
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+New Jersey general election, 1995
! colspan="2" |Party
!Candidate
!Votes
!%
!±%
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''Richard H. Bagger'''
|'''24,024'''
|'''29.2'''
| '''3.8'''
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''[Alan M. Augustine](/source/Alan_Augustine)'''
|'''23,520'''
|'''28.5'''
| '''3.3'''
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|John A. Salerno
|15,782
|19.2
|0.3
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Geri Samuel
|15,737
|19.1
|2.8
|-
|
|[Conservative](/source/New_Jersey_Conservative_Party)
|Robert Hudak
|1,700
|2.1
|''N/A''
|-
|
|[Conservative](/source/New_Jersey_Conservative_Party)
|Fred J. Grill
|1,627
|2.0
|''N/A''
|-
! colspan="3" |Total votes
|'''82,390'''
|'''100.0'''
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+New Jersey general election, 1993
! colspan="2" |Party
!Candidate
!Votes
!%
!±%
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''Richard H. Bagger'''
|'''47,064'''
|'''33.0'''
| '''4.5'''
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''[Alan M. Augustine](/source/Alan_Augustine)'''
|'''45,357'''
|'''31.8'''
| '''6.1'''
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Susan H. Pepper
|26,972
|18.9
|6.4
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Carlton W. Hansen, Jr.
|23,252
|16.3
|4.1
|-
! colspan="3" |Total votes
|'''142,645'''
|'''100.0'''
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+[1991 New Jersey general election](/source/1991_New_Jersey_General_Assembly_election)
! colspan="2" |Party
!Candidate
!Votes
!%
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''[Bob Franks](/source/Bob_Franks)'''
|'''37,087'''
|'''37.9'''
|-
|
|'''[Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))'''
|'''Richard H. Bagger'''
|'''36,704'''
|'''37.5'''
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Edward Kahn
|12,241
|12.5
|-
|
|[Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|Richard Kress
|11,900
|12.2
|-
! colspan="3" |Total votes
|'''97,932'''
|'''100.0'''
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Raymond Stone}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of [Westfield](/source/Westfield%2C_New_Jersey)|years=1991–1992}}
{{s-aft|after=Garland Boothe}}
|-
{{s-par|us-nj-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[Maureen Ogden](/source/Maureen_Ogden)}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [New Jersey General Assembly](/source/New_Jersey_General_Assembly)
from the [22nd](/source/New_Jersey's_22nd_legislative_district) district|years=1992–2002|alongside=[Bob Franks](/source/Bob_Franks), [Alan Augustine](/source/Alan_Augustine), [Tom Kean](/source/Thomas_Kean_Jr.)}}
{{s-aft|after=[Linda Stender](/source/Linda_Stender)}}
|-
{{s-par|us-nj-sen}}
{{s-bef|before=[Kevin O'Toole](/source/Kevin_J._O'Toole)}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [New Jersey Senate](/source/New_Jersey_Senate)
from the [21st](/source/New_Jersey's_21st_legislative_district) district|years=2002–2003}}
{{s-aft|after=[Tom Kean](/source/Thomas_Kean_Jr.)}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bagger, Rich}}
Category:1960 births
Category:20th-century American lawyers
Category:20th-century members of the New Jersey Legislature
Category:20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:21st-century members of the New Jersey Legislature
Category:Chiefs of staff to the governor of New Jersey
Category:Living people
Category:Mayors of places in New Jersey
Category:Lawyers from Union County, New Jersey
Category:Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly
Category:Republican Party New Jersey state senators
Category:Politicians from Plainfield, New Jersey
Category:Politicians from Westfield, New Jersey
Category:Rutgers School of Law–Newark alumni
Category:Princeton School of Public and International Affairs alumni
Category:Westfield High School (New Jersey) alumni
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Richard Bagger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bagger) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bagger?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.