Before joining the General Assembly, Wisniewski served on the Sayreville Cable Television Advisory Board, the
Middlesex County Senior Citizen Housing Task Force, and the Middlesex County Planning Board. In the Assembly, Wisniewski introduced legislation that includes the Work First New Jersey Act, which required individuals to work at jobs or in community services as a condition of their benefits, the Dormitory Safety Act which required the installation of sprinklers in all dormitories, the School Bus Enhanced Safety Inspection Act which created new ways and standards by which a school bus was inspected, and the Athletic Training Licensure Act which required athletic trainers to be licensed. Assemblyman Wisniewski also sponsored the bill that was signed into law which increased the property tax reduction for Veterans and seniors, legislation designed to strengthen
Megan's Law by keeping sexual predators away from areas where children go to school and play, legislation which required newly constructed elevators in residential buildings to accommodate stretchers, legislation which required the implementation of a fire command structure in mutual aid fires, legislation which required that cell phone use be noted in traffic accidents, legislation that established a penalty for the theft of someone's personal identification information, and legislation which established a scholarship program for the families of the victims of the
September 11 terrorist attacks. On January 27, 2010, Wisniewski was selected to succeed
Joseph Cryan as the Chairman of the
New Jersey Democratic State Committee. He was succeeded by
John Currie in 2013. In 2011, Wisniewski was the Democratic Co-chair of the 2011
New Jersey Apportionment Commission, the group charged with redrawing the lines for the legislative districts following the
2010 census. He was a co-chair of the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigation tasked with investigating the scandal. He later endorsed the Democratic Party's ultimate nominee,
Cory Booker. Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the
New Jersey Senate and two members in the
New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 19th District from the 2012-2013 Legislative Session were: • Senator
Joseph Vitale • Assemblyman
Craig Coughlin In August 2015, Wisniewski voted in favor of funding
Planned Parenthood in New Jersey, joining prominent New Jersey Democrats, including
Sheila Oliver and
Patrick Diegnan. Wisniewski previously voted five times to outlaw or restrict access to abortion in New Jersey. He has also expressed that he would vote in favor of a gas tax hike only if Governor Christie was going to sign it into law. Wisniewski was reelected in 2015 by a wide margin. He received the endorsement of numerous local newspapers, including the
Home News Tribune, who also endorsed his running mate
Craig Coughlin and fellow Central Jersey
Nancy Pinkin and Diegnan.
Transportation Committee In the Assembly he has served as the Deputy Speaker since 2004, was the Assistant Majority Leader from 2002 to 2003 and was the Deputy Minority Conference Leader 1998–2001. Wisniewski serves in the Assembly on the Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee (as chair) and the Environment and Solid Waste Committee. Since 2000, he has chaired the state Fire Safety Commission. In his role as Chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Assemblyman Wisniewski led a fact finding probe into the state's
E-ZPass system. Assemblyman Wisniewski is a prime sponsor of the Motor Vehicle Security and Customer Service Act which was signed into law on January 28, 2003. He was a prime sponsor of A-3392 which would consolidate two of the state's toll road agencies.
"Bridgegate" Fort Lee lane closure scandal investigation He led the investigation into the
Fort Lee lane closure scandal. He expressed grave skepticism about Christie's claim that he did not know his aides had ordered lanes closed on the
George Washington Bridge, and believes that the closures were illegal. He has also said that if Christie is involved, it would be an
impeachable offense.
New Jersey Chairman for Bernie Sanders U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders announced on January 4, 2016, that Wisniewski would lead his New Jersey operation in his
campaign for the democratic nomination in the
2016 United States presidential election. Wisniewski cited Sanders' efforts to reduce income inequality and take money out of politics as the main reasons for his endorsement. Being the only elected politician in New Jersey to endorse Sanders, Wisniewski was at the forefront of the Senator's campaign in New Jersey, attending mock debates and hosting fundraisers. Clinton won the
New Jersey Democratic primary by a two-to-one margin.
2017 gubernatorial campaign Wisniewski announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for
New Jersey governor in the 2017 election in November 2016. On June 6, 2017, Wisniewski lost the primary election, coming in third place with 21.6% of the vote. Murphy won the nomination with 48.4% of the vote; Wisniewski also finished behind
Jim Johnson. Murphy also won every county in New Jersey except for
Salem County, which Wisniewski won. Wisniewski subsequently supported Murphy in the campaign against Republican nominee
Kim Guadagno.
Post-Assembly career In 2024, Wisniewski reentered government as a commissioner of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, being named to the seat by Assembly speaker and former running mate
Craig Coughlin. His appointment did not require Senate confirmation. == Personal life ==