Joe Abrahms

Joe Abrahms
Joe Abrahms in 2018
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 12th congressional district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2019
Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey
In office July 10, 2010 – July 10, 2018
Trenton City Councilor
In office July 10, 2002 – July 10, 2010
Personal details
Born	Noam Joseph Abrahms June 21, 1956 (age 65) Trenton, New Jersey
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Anna Kaiserger (m. 1984)
Children	3
Education	Thomas Edison State University (BA) Rutgers University (JD)

Noam Joseph "Joe" Abrahms (born June 21, 1956) is an American politician and electrician serving as the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 12th congressional district.

Early life and career

Abrahm was born in Trenton, New Jersey. He was raised there by his parents Sara (nee Scharansky) and Izaak Abrahms, who worked gig jobs, most notably as a paint salesman and barbeque sauce vendor. During his childhood, Joseph attended public schools while receiving religious education at a local synagogue. Despite being brought up in a religiously active household Abrahms has a mixed attitude towards his Jewish religion; according to Joseph he "lost his faith" during his young adult years before returning to "semi-active" practice in his 30s. For his secondary education, Abrahms attended a trade school where he trained to be an electrician. After graduating, he worked in the trade for various employers until his 40s when he ran for political office for the first time. While working as an electrician, Abrahms attended a local university part-time where he earned his Bachelor's degree in political science.

Trenton City Council

Having been involved in union politics throughout his career as an electrician, Abrahms was convinced by his colleagues to run for an open seat on the Trenton city council in 2002. Running for one of the ward seats in the non-partisan election, Abrahms managed to win in no small part due to grassroots labor organizing. Having run on a progressive, reformist platform he did his best to deliver on his main policy points of expanding access to public housing, improving the quality of education and raising labor standards. During that time Abrahms also worked on his Juris Doctor degree, eventually earning it in 2008.

He would be re-elected in 2006. It was during that time that he helped bring in more progressive city councilors, with two progressive-minded local politicians joining the body after that year's May election. With the city council comprising of seven members, the "Three Musketeers" were one vote short of the majority, but managed to score minor policy wins nonetheless. During that time the group was able to expand green spaces and access to healthcare.

Mayor of Trenton

Seeing the rise of progressive politicians in Trenton politics, the incumbent mayor announced in 2009 his intention to retire at the end of his term in 2010. With the 20-year incumbent planning to depart the Town Hall Abrahms decided to seek the office himself. He was elected mayor in May of 2010 and took office at the beginning of the following month.

Overall, Abrahms served two terms as Mayor of Trenton, ending the trend of decades-long incumbencies in the city's top executive position. During his tenure he focused on building public housing, expanding access to healthcare, improving the city's public transportation system and creating green spaces.

One of the biggest challenges of his mayorality came in during his first year in office when a journalistic investigation uncovered evidence of corruption during the previous mayor's last term in office, where local businessmen with ties to the mayor were awarded contracts in exchange for favors for the mayor. Abrahms initially came under suspicion, having served two terms in the city council during the incumbency of the previous mayor, but the suspicions were eventually dispelled after Joseph organized an investigation, widely considered as comprehensive and free of any bias or external influence. The investigation led to the breaking of multiple lucrative contracts and criminal charges filed against 17 individuals. Abrahms' predecessor was arrested by the law enforcement in 2012 before being convicted five years later in relation to the corruption scandal.

U.S. House of Representatives

The end of Abrahms' second term coincided with the retirement of the incumbent U.S. Representative from the Trenton-based 12th congressional district. Winning the open primary with 60% of the vote, Abrahms sailed to victory in the heavily Democratic district winning 65% of the vote in the general election. During his campaign he promised to champion "Little America" - or in other words, local government - by fighting for additional programs for local schools and healthcare facilities from the federal government. In addition, Abrahms promised to stand progressive causes such as a higher minimum wage, environmentalism, labor protections, tuition free college and minority rights.

Ever since taking office, Abrahms was highly critical of President Wolf and, although to a much smaller degree, his successor Richard Tawney.

Abrahms is a notable member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus as well as the House Appropriations Committee. He is one of the co-founders of the Medicare For All Caucus. He is also a member of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, among others.

Family

Abrahms' father, Izaak was born as Izaak Abrahamsinger and changed his last name upon entering the United States. His parents both emigrated to the United States from Europe, his father had ties to New Jersey as his distant relatives lived in Newark in the 1930s and 40s before moving to New York City. Izaak lived with them before finding employment in Trenton, where he met Sara, the future mother of Congressman Abrahms.

Joseph Abrahams is married to Anna (nee Kaiserger) Abrahms. The couple met while Joseph was working as an electrician in Anna's house. They married in 1984 and Anna gave birth to their first child a year later. Overall, Abrahams has three children and two grandchildren.