Rosy Bagolie

Rosaura Bagolie is an American school administrator and Democratic Party politician serving as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 27th legislative district, having taken office on January 9, 2024.

Rosy Bagolie
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2024 Serving with Alixon Collazos-Gill
Preceded by	Mila Jasey John F. McKeon
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Education	Rutgers University Seton Hall University
Website	Legislative webpage

Biography

Bagolie emigrated from the Dominican Republic and settled with her family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where she graduated from Elizabeth High School. She earned graduate degrees in education at Seton Hall University and Rutgers University. She is employed as both the principal and superintendent of the East Newark School District.^[1][2]

Her husband, Ricky, is a lawyer working for the joint venture Bagolie–Friedman Injury Lawyers. He graduated from Rutgers Law School in 1993.^[3] They have three boys: Frank, Jacob, and Aaron.

Elective office

Bagolie was elected to the Livingston Township Council in 2022.^[1]

Following the 2021 reapportionment, all of the municipalities in Morris County were removed from the district, while the Passaic County municipality of Clifton was shifted from its longtime home in the 34th district.^[4] In the June 2023 Democratic primary, the first held under the 2021 reapportionment, incumbent Senator Richard Codey defeated incumbent 34th district Senator Nia Gill, though Codey announced in August that he would retire at the end of the term. McKeon was selected to replace Codey on the November ballot for Senate^[5] while Mila Jasey retired after her hometown was moved out of the district, with newcomers Bagolie and Alixon Collazos-Gill ultimately chosen to be the two Democratic Assembly candidates.^[6]

Bagolie and Collazos-Gill defeated Republicans Irene DeVita and Michael G. Mecca Jr. in the 2023 New Jersey General Assembly election.^[7][8] Bagolie was one of 27 members elected for the first time to serve in the General Assembly in 2024, more than one-third of the 80 seats.^[9]

Committees

Committee assignments for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:^[10]

• Education
• Financial Institutions and Insurance

District 27

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.^[11] The representatives from the 27th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:^[12]

• Senator John F. McKeon (D)
• Assemblyman Rosy Bagolie (D)
• Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (D)

Electoral history

27th Legislative District General Election, 2023^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rosaura Bagolie	27,303	34.9
	Democratic	Alixon Collazos-Gill	27,245	34.8
	Republican	Irene DeVita	11,916	15.2
	Republican	Michael Mecca Jr.	11,732	15.0
Total votes			78,196	100.0
	Democratic hold
	Democratic hold

References

1. Election profile: 27th Legislative District, NJ Spotlight News. Accessed January 9, 2024. "At age 7, my family immigrated to the United States for a better life, settling in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After college, I earned my master’s degree in elementary education and my doctorate in educational leadership at Seton Hall University. Then I earned a second master’s degree in special education at Rutgers.... I’ve dedicated my life to education, starting as a public school teacher, advancing to director of special education and principal, and now serving as superintendent/principal of the East Newark public school district.... My lifelong journey in Democratic politics began as a student at Elizabeth High School when I dove into the world of grassroots campaigning in Union County, working alongside Sen. Ray Lesniak and Mayor Chris Bollwage.... In 2022, I took the bold step of running for Livingston Town Council, emerging victorious in a fiercely contested race."
2. Contact Us, East Newark School District. Accessed January 9, 2024.
3. "Ricky Bagolie".
4. "What's your new NJ legislative district? 20% moved on new map", WKXW, February 25, 2022. Accessed January 24, 2024.
5. Wildstein, David. "McKeon will get Codey’s Senate seat, Brendan Gill will run for Assembly", New Jersey Globe, August 17, 2023. Accessed January 24, 2024. "Democrats have settled on Assemblyman John McKeon (D-West Orange) to replace Richard J. Codey in the State Senate, with Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill (D-Montclair) set to run for the State Assembly, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.... The deal averts a floor fight between McKeon and Gill for the Senate seat of Richard J. Codey, a former governor who announced on Monday that he would retire from the Senate at the end of his current term after 50 years in the New Jersey Legislature."
6. "Election 2023: Legislative District 27", NJ Spotlight News, May 5, 2023. Accessed January 24, 2024. "Assemblyman John McKeon, a Democrat, an attorney and former mayor of West Orange, was going to defend his seat but now is running instead for the Senate. He is facing Michael D. Byrne of Upper Montclair. Both Democratic Assembly candidates are newcomers, as the other Assembly member, Mila Jasey chose to retire after her hometown was moved into the neighboring 28th District. Rosy Bagolie, a Livingston councilwoman and superintendent of the East Newark School District, is running with Alixon Collazos-Gill, who co-founded a Montclair public affairs firm with her husband, Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill."
7. Connolly, John. "NJ election results 2023: State Senate, Assembly seats decided", The Record, November 9, 2023. Accessed December 23, 2023.
8. Official List Candidates for General Assembly for General Election November 7, 2023, New Jersey Department of State, December 6, 2023. Accessed December 23, 2023.
9. Wildstein, David. "37 new lawmakers take office at noon", New Jersey Globe, January 9, 2024. Accessed January 9, 2024. "The 221st New Jersey Legislature begins today, with 37 new lawmakers – nearly one-third of the legislature – being sworn in at noon. That number includes ten new Senators and 27 new members of the General Assembly."
10. Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie (D), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
11. New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
12. Legislative Roster for District 27, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2024.
13. "Candidates for General Assembly - For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2023 Election" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. Retrieved December 6, 2023.