# Holly Schepisi

Holly T. Schepisi (born December 20, 1971) is an American lawyer, businesswoman, and Republican Party politician who is the New Jersey State Senator, representing the 39th legislative district. She previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly, from January 10, 2012, until March 24, 2021. She has served as Deputy Minority Leader since January 14, 2020, and served as Assistant Minority Leader for two years before then. She resides in River Vale with her husband Paul Garfinkel and their two children. In March 2015, she suffered a brain aneurysm but fully recovered after surgery in the summer of 2015. On March 9, 2021, she was chosen to succeed long-serving Senator Gerald Cardinale in the State Senate, who died in office. She was sworn in on March 25, 2021.

## Biography and early life

Schepisi is the daughter of John A. Schepisi, a lawyer and former chairman of the Bergen County Republican Organization. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Catholic University of America in politics and psychology in 1993, and a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law in 1997. While in college, she worked at the 1992 Republican National Convention, interned for Organization of American States, Congresswoman Marge Roukema, and a member of the British Parliament. In 2007, she began serving as the Township Attorney for River Vale, a position she held until 2011. In addition, she was also a public defender for Oakland (2012–2014) and an alternate prosecutor for Old Tappan (2010–2011) and Westwood (2002–2011).

## New Jersey Assembly

In August 2011, Charlotte Vandervalk announced her retirement from the General Assembly seat in the 39th district. A resident of River Vale, Schepisi was selected by the Bergen County Republican Organization to take Vandervalk's place on the ballot, and in the general election she and her running mate Bob Schroeder defeated the Democratic candidates, Anthony Iannarelli Jr. and Michael McCarthy. She was sworn in on January 10, 2012.

### Tenure

In 2014, Schepisi introduced a bill that would have weakened vaccination requirements for school children. The bill would have allowed certain children under the age of six to attend school without receiving a Hepatitis B vaccine. Schepisi stated that the debunked link between vaccines and autism was not her "primary rationale" for introducing the bill. The bill did not become law. In the summer of 2017, Schepisi held the first of several planned public hearing in Paramus with various civic leaders on mandated affordable housing under the Mount Laurel Doctrine with local mayors and other state assembly members. In October 2018 Schepisi joined then-Republican State Senator Dawn Addiego and Republicans Kristin Corrado, Amy Handlin, DiAnne Gove, Serena DiMaso, BettyLou DeCroce, and Nancy Munoz in calling for an investigation into Governor Phil Murphy's hiring practices.

### Committees

Committee assignments for the current session are:
* Community and Urban Affairs
* Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens

### District 39

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. The representatives from the 39th District for the 2024—25 Legislative Session are:
* Senator Holly Schepisi (R)
* Assemblyman Robert Auth (R)
* Assemblywoman John V. Azzariti (R)

## Electoral history
### New Jersey Senate

39th Legislative District General Election, 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Holly Schepisi (incumbent) | 34,448 | 54.9 |
| | Democratic | Jodi A. Murphy | 28,264 | 45.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 62,712 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
2021 New Jersey general election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Holly Schepisi (Incumbent) | 45,985 | 57.2 |
| | Democratic | Ruth Dugan | 34,065 | 42.3 |
| | Libertarian | James Tosone | 403 | 0.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 80,453 | 100.0 |

### 2019

In what was one of the most competitive races in 2019 Schepisi and her running mate Robert Auth won re-election by 6,000 and 4,000 votes respectively. During the campaign, controversy surrounding Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick's law website drew their Democratic opponents, Gerald Falotico and John Birkner, to call on them to condemn the website.
2019 General Election in 39th District :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Holly Schepisi (Incumbent) | 30,705 | 28.2% | 1.1 |
| | Republican | Robert Auth (Incumbent) | 28,786 | 26.4% | 0.2 |
| | Democratic | John Birkner Jr. | 17,557 | 22.9% | 1.1 |
| | Democratic | Gerald Falotico | 17,332 | 22.3% | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | '108,691' | '100.0' | |

### 2017

In the tightest election of Schepisi's career in the Assembly she won re-election.
2017 General Election in 39th District :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Holly Schepisi (Incumbent) | 34,158 | 27.4 | 3.9 |
| | Republican | Robert Auth (Incumbent) | 32,739 | 26.2 | 2.6 |
| | Democratic | Jannie Chung | 29,126 | 23.3 | 3.0 |
| | Democratic | Annie Hausmann | 28,862 | 23.1 | 3.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | '124,885' | '100.0' | |

### 2015

In a generally bad year for Republicans in New Jersey, Schepisi and Auth cruised to re-election.
2015 General Election in 39th District :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Holly Schepisi (Incumbent) | 22,016 | 31.3 | 1.1 |
| | Republican | Robert Auth (Incumbent) | 20,227 | 28.8 | 0.8 |
| | Democratic | John DeRienzo | 14,258 | 20.3 | 0.6 |
| | Democratic | Jeffrey Goldsmith | 13,840 | 19.7 | 1.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | '70,341' | '100.0' | |

### 2013

In 2013 Governor Chris Christie easily beat Democrat Barbara Buono and Schepisi and her new running mate Robert Auth easily beat their Democratic opponents.
2013 General Election in 39th District :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Holly Schepisi (Incumbent) | 36,873 | 32.4 | 2.1 |
| | Republican | Robert Auth | 33,680 | 29.6 | 1.3 |
| | Democratic | Donna C. Abene | 22,450 | 19.7 | 0.9 |
| | Democratic | Anthony N. Iannarelli Jr. | 20,785 | 18.3 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | '113,788' | '100.0' | |

### 2011

After the 2011 re-districting the 39th District was still widely considered "safe republican". Schepisi ran for the Assembly for the first time and easily placed second.
2011 General Election in 39th District :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Robert Schroeder (Incumbent) | 26,572 | 30.9 |
| | Republican | Holly Schepisi | 26,111 | 30.3 |
| | Democratic | Michael J. McCarthy | 16,200 | 18.8 |
| | Democratic | Anthony N. Iannarelli Jr. | 15,784 | 18.3 |
| | Independent | Clinton Bosca | 1,425 | 1.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 86,092 | 100.0 |