Congressman Frank Pallone, who represents New Jersey’s 6th congressional district, has been a prominent figure in the Edison and greater New Jersey community. Having served in Congress since 1988, Pallone has a long and distinguished career in listening to the needs of his constituents and advocating for legislation that supports them.
Pallone’s interest in politics stemmed from a long-held desire to serve his community.
“I’ve always been interested in government and politics from when I was in elementary school,” Pallone recalled. “I remember in fourth grade, I ran for the student government because I felt that it was a way of making a difference and helping people.”
With this motivation, Pallone attended law school. However, when given the chance to become a partner in a law firm, he hesitated due to his strong passion for public service.
“I was working for a maritime law firm in New York, and they had offered me to become a partner, and to represent the firm at a new office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,” he said. “I decided I didn’t want to do it because I really wanted to run for office.”
It was this decision that led him to pursue a political career.
“That made me realize the most important thing for me: to be a politician,” he said.
Being a politician carries immense responsibility, and Pallone has a busy and tight schedule to follow to balance his time between Washington, D.C., and meeting with his constituents in New Jersey.
“It’s very difficult to manage your time,” Pallone admitted.
Pallone’s unpredictable schedule can place limitations on the ability to meet with constituents and be active in the community.
“It’s very hard because people think I’m in the state working on constituent issues or coming to events in the state,” he said. “They don’t understand that I have to be in Washington to vote and make a difference.”
The demands of Congress and the need to be open with his constituents places a lot of pressure on Pallone, and he often struggles with the balance.
“I don’t feel that I’m very good at managing stress. I feel like I’m stressed out a lot”, he admitted. To help deal with stress, Pallone likes to indulge in his pastimes and hobbies.
“I’m very arts-oriented, so I’ll go to museums and galleries. You need to do certain things that aren’t political or government-oriented as a way of limiting stress,” Pallone said.
Despite the exhausting nature of politics, Pallone remains committed to serving the needs of his constituents and the American people.
“I don’t get tired of the job. It’s just that a lot of times you are stressed out and tired because you have so much to do,” he said.
With his long tenure in government and experience working for others, Pallone encourages students and aspiring leaders to take care of their community and become involved in public service.
“Being involved in public service, particularly as a politician or in some capacity related to government,” Pallone said, “is very fulfilling because you can really make a difference in helping people.”