Bo Sullivan

Joseph Aloysius "Bo" Sullivan (February 10, 1937 – March 13, 2000) was chairman of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and a Republican Party politician who sought the nomination for Governor of New Jersey in the 1981 primary.

Sullivan was the president and CEO of Bomont Industries, once among the largest manufacturers of typewriter ribbons in the United States. Bomont was founded by Sullivan's father in Totowa, New Jersey; the younger Sullivan took over the firm soon after finishing law school and transitioned the company into a manufacturer of industrial fabrics.

Campaign for governor In 1980, Sullivan began to plan a campaign for governor of New Jersey. In order to increase his national exposure, Sullivan threw a large party at the 1980 Republican National Convention. A newcomer at the time, he joked that he once had been elected, but it was to be captain of the football team at Newark Academy. Campaigning in 1981, Sullivan eschewed public financing and spent more than $2 million of his own money to win the Republican nomination for governor, but was unsuccessful. He finished third in an eight-candidate field, behind former Assembly Speaker Thomas Kean and former Paterson Mayor Pat Kramer. His campaign was managed by Karl Ottesen, who had run the stealth U.S. Senate race of Al D'Amato in New York the previous year. Toward the end of the campaign, he received support from key Right to Life groups. Candidate Office Votes % Thomas Kean Former Assembly Speaker 122,512 31% Pat Kramer Former mayor of Paterson 83,565 21% Bo Sullivan Businessman 67,651 17% James Wallwork State Senator 61,816 16% Barry T. Parker State Senator 26,040 7% Anthony Imperiale State Assemblyman 18,452 5% Jack Rafferty Mayor of Hamilton 12,837 3% Richard McGlynn Former Superior Court Judge 5,486 1%

Sullivan won kudos from GOP leaders when he showed up at Kean's victory celebration to offer his support. Later, he joined Kean for a beer at a Bayonne bar. After Kean won, he named Sullivan as chairman of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. He was often mentioned as possible United States Ambassador to Ireland under Bush. He was viewed as a likely candidate for governor in 1989, but declined to run.

Death A resident of Essex Fells, New Jersey, and later of the New Vernon section of Harding Township, New Jersey, Sullivan died at a hospital in Morristown, New Jersey at age 63, following a stroke.