Senator Joe Kyrillos will not seek reelection

New Jersey State Senator Joe Kyrillos will not seek reelection in 2017, according to a report on Observer-PolitickerNJ .

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve the people of my district and the state of New Jersey in the Legislature,” Kyrillos told the Observer. “Ever since I was a kid growing up in Monmouth County, I’ve always believed that public service is an important and noble profession. I am truly fortunate to have had the ability to serve for so many years in the state Senate, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished on behalf of the people of New Jersey.”

A senator since 1992, Kyrillos has been a consistently influential figure in Monmouth County, Trenton and beyond.  Known for his elegant and diplomatic style, the silver haired gentleman from Middletown is a consensus and relationship builder who started his political career right out of college working for Vice President George H.W. Bush during the 1984 presidential campaign.  After President Ronald Reagan’s reelection, Kyrillos served as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior until he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1987.

Kyrillos was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2012, Governor Chris Christie’s 2009 Campaign Chairman and the Chairman of the New Jersey GOP from 2001 through 2004.