Benjie Wimberly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benjie Wimberly
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| Senator-elect of the New Jersey Senate from the 35th district | |
| Assumed office TBD |
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| Preceded by | Nellie Pou |
| Speaker pro tempore of the New Jersey General Assembly | |
| In office January 11, 2022 – January 16, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Gordon M. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | TBD |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 35th district |
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| In office January 10, 2012 – January 16, 2025 Serving with Shavonda E. Sumter
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| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by | Al Abdelaziz (elect) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 1, 1964 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kimberlynn |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Virginia State University (BA) |
| Website | Legislative website |
Benjie E. Wimberly (born December 1, 1964) is an American teacher and a politician from the Democratic Party. He is set to become a Senator in the New Jersey Senate, representing the 35th district. Before this, he served in the New Jersey General Assembly for the same district from 2012 to 2025. Mr. Wimberly was also a successful head coach for football teams at high schools and is currently the recreation director for Paterson.
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Education and Learning
Benjie Wimberly went to Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne. After that, he studied at Virginia State University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology there. Sociology is the study of how people live and interact in groups.
Football Coach and Mentor
Mr. Wimberly has a strong background in football coaching. He started as an assistant coach at Eastside High School in Paterson from 1989 to 1994.
He then became the head coach for the football team at Paterson Catholic High School. He coached there from 1995 until 2010, when the school closed. During his last seven years at Paterson Catholic, his teams had an amazing record, winning 70 games and losing only 3. He helped many young players, including Victor Cruz, who later became a professional football star. In his 16 years as coach, Paterson Catholic won seven state championships.
In 2012, Wimberly became the head coach for the football team at Hackensack High School. Besides coaching, he also works as Paterson's Recreation Director. In this role, he helps organize sports and fun activities for the community.
Public Service and Politics
In 2010, Benjie Wimberly was elected to the Paterson city council. A city council is a group of elected officials who make decisions for a city. Many of his former students helped him during his campaign. He encouraged young people to vote, similar to how Barack Obama did during his presidential campaign in 2008.
Wimberly was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2011. The General Assembly is one part of New Jersey's state government that makes laws. He was reelected in 2013, meaning he won the election again.
In 2014, he thought about running for mayor of Paterson. The mayor is the top leader of a city.
In 2020, he helped create a new law called Assembly Bill 4454. This law requires schools in New Jersey to teach about diversity and inclusion to students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. This means students learn about different cultures, backgrounds, and how to treat everyone with respect.
In 2024, he was elected to fill a vacant Senate seat. He will serve in the New Jersey Senate, which is the other part of New Jersey's state government that makes laws.
What are Committee Assignments?
In the New Jersey Legislature, lawmakers work in groups called committees. These groups study different topics and bills in detail before they are voted on by everyone. For the 2024–2025 Legislative Session, Benjie Wimberly is part of these committees:
- Budget (he is the vice-chair, meaning he helps lead this committee)
- Higher Education (this committee deals with colleges and universities)
- Housing (this committee works on issues related to homes and living spaces)
Representing District 35
New Jersey is divided into 40 areas called legislative districts. Each district has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. For the 2024–2025 Legislative Session, the people representing the 35th District are:
- Senator Nellie Pou (from the Democratic Party)
- Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter (from the Democratic Party)
- Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly (from the Democratic Party)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Benjie E. Wimberly (incumbent) | 12,320 | 50.2 | |
| Democratic | Shavonda Sumter (incumbent) | 12,214 | 49.8 | |
| Total votes | 24,534 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Benjie E. Wimberly (incumbent) | 20,276 | 34.56% | |
| Democratic | Shavonda Sumter (incumbent) | 20,235 | 34.49% | |
| Republican | Ramzy Yamisha | 9,166 | 15.62% | |
| Republican | Iman Majagah | 8,990 | 15.32% | |
| Total votes | 58,667 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Benjie Wimberly (incumbent) | 13,213 | 43.61% | |
| Democratic | Shavonda Sumter (incumbent) | 13,173 | 43.48% | |
| Republican | Tamer Mamkej | 3,909 | 12.9% | |
| Total votes | 30,295 | 100% | ||
Family Life
Benjie Wimberly is married to Kimberlynn. They have four children together. His oldest son, Justin, played high school football for Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey.
