Christopher Bateman

Christopher "Kip" Bateman (born October 9, 1957 in Somerville, New Jersey) is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District. Bateman is the Senate's Deputy Conference Leader and serves on the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, the Environment and Energy Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

He was born on October 9, 1957, in Somerville, New Jersey to Raymond Bateman, who represented the 16th District in the New Jersey Senate in the 1960s and 1970s, and was the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1977. Bateman received a B.A. in 1980 from Ithaca College in Political Science and History and was awarded a J.D. in 1987 from the Seton Hall University School of Law.

He lives in the Neshanic Station section of Branchburg Township, and is married with four children: Chris, Joe, Stephanie, and Katie.

Bateman served on the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1988 to 1994 and as its Director in 1992. He served on the Branchburg Township Committee from 1983 to 1988 and was its Mayor in 1986. Bateman was appointed to the Task Force to Study Homeowner Associations from 1996 to 1997 and the Delaware and Raritan Transportation Safety Study Commission from 1995 to 1996.

Bateman served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1994 to 2008, where he was the Assembly's Assistant Republican Leader from 2004 to 2005, was the Assistant Republican Whip from 2002 to 2003, the Majority Whip in 1996 and was the Assistant Majority Whip from 1994 to 1995. Bateman served in the Assembly on the Commerce and Economic Development Committee, the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee and the Legislative Services Commission.

In the 2007 legislative elections, Bateman won the state Senate seat of retiring Senator Walter J. Kavanaugh. Prior to the 2011 redistricting, the 16th district consisted of most of Somerset County. Following the 2011 redistricting, a portion of Hunterdon County was added, towns in northern and eastern parts of Somerset were removed, and the more liberal towns of Princeton and South Brunswick were added. He fended off a challenge by Democrat Maureen Vella by defeating her by 9 points in 2011. His 2013 election winning margin was larger as he defeated Christian Mastondrea by 20 points.

Bateman has sponsored laws reducing auto insurance premium costs for policy holders, allowing tax filers to contribute a portion of their income tax refund to support the Drug Abuse Education Fund (DARE) program and creating a grant program to provide thermal imaging cameras to fire departments and companies throughout the state.

District 16

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 other representatives from the 16th District for the 2016-2017 Legislative Session are:

• Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R)
• Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker (D)

Election history