Thomas Kean, Jr.

Thomas Howard "Tom" Kean, Jr. (born September 5, 1968) is an American Republican politician, serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2003. He represents the 21st Legislative District, which covers parts of Union, Morris, Somerset and Essex Counties. On November 8, 2007, he was elected to serve as Minority Leader of the Senate.

Early life

Kean is a descendant of an old American family. On his grandmother side, he is a decent of Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch colonial governor of New Amsterdam (now known as New York). His great-grandmother, Katharine Winthrop, was a direct descendant of John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is also a direct descendant of Thomas Dudley (1576 – 1653), governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony who has signed the Harvard College's charter. His father is Thomas Howard Kean, Sr., 48th Governor of New Jersey. His grandfather is Robert Kean, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey. His great-grandfather, Hamilton Fish Kean, and great-great-uncle, John Kean, were both U.S. senators. His second great-great-uncle was Hamilton Fish, a U.S. senator, New York governor, and U.S. secretary of state. He is also a relative of William Livingston, the first governor of New Jersey.