Historic Tidbit: 1958 was a very Democratic year nationwide. In fact, only one Democratic member of Congress lost her seat. It was Congresswoman Coya Knutson of Minnesota. Her husband had written a famous “Coya Come Home”letter to local newspapers asking her to make his breakfast again. Knutson, the first female Congressperson from Minnesota did go home,but managed to get the house to herself soon after. The two divorced in 1961.
George Patton was the famed World War II general. Edward Patten was a longtime Middlesex County, NJ Congressman who epitomized the notion of success by virtue of remembering faces.
Patten rose through the Democratic Party ranks of county and state politics. Two generations ago, Middlesex was run by the Wilentz family. One would challenge Senator Clifford Case in his 1966 re-election. Another would go on to become Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. And Ed Patten was a product of that machine. He was elected the youngest Mayor of the river front town of Perth Amboy, before becoming Recorder of County Deeds.
Ed Patten-1905-1994 Politicsnj photo
Even today, officials from Middlesex County only leave voluntarily, and that’s often only after many, many years of holding their post. So it was not surprising that Patten stayed for 14 years, until 1954. That year, Governor Robert Meyner named him Secretary of State. But in 1962, when Middlesex County got it’s own Congressional seat, the machine made it clear that they wanted Patten.
But the endorsement was not unanimous. George Otlowski was a fellow Perth Amboyite, and he himself would become a legendary Mayor who would go on to a distinguished service in the Legislature. Otlowki coveted the Congressional seat as well.
Considering the machine was everything, Otlowski actually did pretty well. He held Patten to 56%. The general was tough as well. In those days, Middlesex, a meting pot of all ethnicities, was a swing county statewide, but was overwhelmingly supportive of JFK two years before (and may have been decisive in his 22,000 vote victory). And Patten promised to vote with Kennedy 100% of the time. That would be enough, as his plurality was 20,000 votes.
Photo from damien-duttonleprosysociety.org
In office, Patten epitomized what in many urban districts was the success by making the rounds, and calling on ordinary people view. And when folks had a problem, they’d call their Congressman.
State Senator Jack Fay, said “He came home every weekend. He wouldn’t miss a wake or a funeral. He was ever present. When you called his office, you got a call back,” adding, he didn’t just like people, he loved them.”
And that would start with area pride. Patten would distribute Jersey tomatoes and once cut the tie of an aide and replaced it with one made in Perth Amboy. On Perth Amboy’s industrial heft, he’d speak of “my chemical companies, beautiful red and gold colors used in women’s clothes.”
Bernie Dwyer, who succeeded Patten, would recall people in Washington asking, “how’s Ed,” noting, “I’m talking about the Capitol police. I’m talking about the elevator operators.”
Legislatively, Patten wasn’t among the most active members of Congress. He’d sponsored just 29 bills during his tenure, but they were a compendium of national issues and hometown.
One would improve “the basic workweek of firefighting personnel.” He had a bill to include chiropractic services in Social Security, registered nurses in Medicare and Medicaid and better conditions for veterans facilities (Middlesex County has several). With the counties large union presence, Patten’s support of organized labor was second-to-none and the Construction Industry Collective Bargaining Act had them in mind.
He fought for inspection of towing vessels removal of rock ledge in the Arthur Kill in Perth Amboy. He opposed funding for abortion and put forth a bill that would improve family planning services. And he was active on pro-consumer legislation, including the Consumer Protection Act and the Consumer Communications Reform Act.
For years, Patten’s loyalty to his district resulted in
sending him back to Congress, rarely thinking twice. That changed in 1972. Nixon notably lacked Congressional coattails that year, but almost swept Patten’s foe in (the incumbent managed just 52%). Patten was perceived as a hack. Rarely did voters care, but unfavorable years could be different. Patten’s subsequent two re-elections were non-events, as he took an astounding 71% in ’74 and 66% in ’78.
Then in 1978, he had a new kind of problem. George Spadoro, who would later go on to be a State Assemblyman and Edison mayor, held Patten to 59% in the primary. The general was tougher.
During the campaign, it was revealed that Patten had directed South Korean businessman Tongsun Park to make a contribution to the Middlesex County Democratic Committee, which was illegal. The matter went to the House Ethics Committee, which dismissed the allegations 8-0. But his opponent, Charles Wiley, founder of the Committee for Responsible Patriotism, also hit him on tax issues. By September, a loss was considered a possibility.
On Election Day, Patten was held below 50%, and won re-election by under 3,000 votes, 48-46%. At the time, he was 73 and it was made clear that he could not get renominated if he sought re-election in ’80. He wisely chose to retire and retired to Middlesex County.
Patten returned home and died in 1994 at 89, hailed by all elements of Middlesex County politicos, including his old foe Otlowski.