Rick Merkt

Richard A. Merkt (born July 30, 1949) is an American Republican Party public official, attorney, and businessman who served from 1998 to 2010 in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 25th legislative district.[1] In his sixth term as a legislator, he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Governor of New Jersey in 2009 rather than running for re-election to the Assembly.From 1986 until 2014, Merkt served as general counsel and officer for three New Jersey corporations, including two high technology manufacturing firms in Morris and Somerset counties.[9][10] In January 2021, Merkt joined the founding Board of the Monadnock Freedom to Learn Coalition, the sponsoring organization for Lionheart Classical Academy, a tuition-free public school chartered by the NH State Board of Education in November 2021 and which opened in Peterborough, NH, in August 2022.Thus the primary was in effect a contest between former United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey Chris Christie and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.
New Jersey General AssemblyMichael Patrick CarrollAnthony R. BuccoTony BuccoNew York CityRepublicanWestmoreland, New HampshireAlma materYale UniversityFordham UniversityUniversity of PennsylvaniaRepublican Party25th legislative districtParliamentarianFordham University School of LawCheshire CountyNew Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009Governor of New JerseyUnited States Attorney for the District of New JerseyChris ChristieBogotaSteve LoneganNew Jersey LegislatureProject Vote Smart