Barnes III assumes father's Assembly seat
Barnes Jr., confirmed by state Senate as chair of Parole Board
BY TOM CAIAZZA
Staff Writer

For Peter Barnes III, it is nothing but a family thing.Barnes III became the newest member of the New Jersey State Assembly March 15 and will serve out the remainder of his father's term in office. The Edison resident will represent the 18th Legislative District, which includes East Brunswick, Spotswood, South River and Helmetta, among other towns.

Longtime Assemblyman Peter Barnes Jr., the senior Barnes in the family, was confirmed by the state Senate earlier this month and will take the post of chairman of the New Jersey State Parole Board, requiring him to resign his office in the Assembly. His son won the party's endorsement to fill that post and run in the June primary election and November general election.

Barnes III, who resigned his seat on the Edison Township Council last week, said that taking his place on the Assembly floor was thrilling.

"I feel thrilled, I feel very honored and I feel very excited," Barnes III said. "When I first stepped on the Assembly floor the excitement coursed through my veins. I was able to sit through my first day of deliberations and watch a lot of my colleagues debate the issues."

Barnes III had been an Edison council member since 1996 and served as the council president, vice president and on various commissions and land use boards.

Barnes III was unopposed for the nomination to replace his father, despite there being four or five others who had expressed interest in screening for the position. Barnes III said that he worked hard at getting the nomination, knocking on some 230 doors of committee members in the 18th district over a three-month span before receiving the nomination.

While he admits that the catching up he has to do is daunting, Barnes III said that he has been afforded resources the few freshman state legislators are able to tap.

The most obvious of which is his own father.

"I am lucky that I have my dad as a resource," Barnes III said. "[Sen.] Barbara Buono (D-18) and [Assemblyman] Patrick Diegnan (D-18) have really expressed their interest in making sure I get off to a good start. Also Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts has reached out to me ... ."

In a press release dispersed by the Assembly Democrats, Roberts praised Barnes III for his experience in government and said that he will be an asset to the Assembly.

Barnes III said that once he has learned the ropes, he plans on focusing on the state's budget, and tackling some of the problems residents face including property taxes.

He said that Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, formerly the state treasurer, has approached him and offered to help him get up to speed on the budget.

"I feel that I will have a help and a good cadre of people to go to," Barnes said. "Not many new legislators would have those kind of persons to call on and I do. And I will take advantage of that."

Barnes III said that he will be winding down his work on municipal committees this week and is expected to tender his resignation from the council by Friday, March 23.

The Edison Democratic Committee met Monday night to choose candidates to endorse for the upcoming election. However, due to the timing, Barnes III's council seat will not be one of the ones being contested. Barnes III said that a special conference will be held to appoint a replacement for his seat on the council.