John Adler

(1959- )

Congressman John Adler was born August 23, 1959. He was sworn into office on January 6, 2009 for his first term as U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s Third Congressional District. The Third District includes portions of Burlington, Camden, and Ocean counties and is home to the McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst mega base, as well as forty miles of New Jersey’s treasured shoreline. Rep. Adler is the first Democrat to represent this district since 1882.

Before his election to Congress, Rep. Adler served for sixteen years in the New Jersey State Senate. In addition to his role as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Rep. Adler emerged as a leader on environmental and health related issues, homeland security, ethics reform, and reducing corporate taxes on small business. Rep. Adler wrote New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act, which became the state's premier public health law in January 2006. The bill prohibits smoking in indoor public places and has already spared thousands of people from the dangers of second-hand smoke.

Rep. Adler’s fight for ethics reform began early in his career. He was elected to the Cherry Hill Town Council in 1987 and wrote the town’s ethics ordinance. As a State Senator, he went on to write New Jersey's law requiring pension forfeiture and mandatory prison terms for corrupt officials. As a result of these and other efforts, Rep. Adler was named one of New Jersey's ten best legislators by New Jersey Magazine, which called him "hardworking, incisive, and respected by both parties."

A native New Jerseyan, Rep. Adler grew up in the Borough of Haddonfield with his mother, Mary Louise and his father, John.  His family owned and operated a local dry cleaning store for more than fifteen years, but after his father experienced a series of heart attacks that led to crippling medical expenses, they lost the business. This experience left an indelible mark on Rep. Adler. He remains particularly sensitive to the concerns of small business owners and believes firmly in every American’s right to affordable healthcare.

Rep. Adler is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He and his wife, Shelley, live in Cherry Hill, New Jersey where they are raising their four sons.