Hazel Gluck

Hazel Sara Frank Gluck (born September 6, 1934) is an American Republican Party politician and lobbyist who served in the New Jersey General Assembly and held several posts in the cabinet of Governor Thomas Kean. She was a top advisor to NJ Governor Christine Todd Whitman as well as a founding member of one of NJ's largest lobbying firms. She is a 1956 graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She married Joseph Gluck, a physician, and had two children: Deborah (born 1957) and Michael (born 1959).

Political career A resident of Lakewood Township, New Jersey, Gluck became active in the League of Women Voters and served as President of the chapter in Lakewood. She became active in Ocean County Republican politics as a protege of Joseph Buckalew, who had served as Lakewood Mayor, Ocean County Freeholder and Republican County Chairman. She was later appointed Director of the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs.

In 1981, Gluck gave up her Assembly seat and challenged two-term Democratic State Senator John F. Russo. Russo won easily, defeating Gluck by 11,233 votes, 38,166 (59%) to 26,933 (41%). Gluck later called her Senate bid a "stupid" mistake, saying that Russo had done a good job and there was no reason to throw him out.

Gubernatorial candidate Toward the end of Kean's second term, Gluck began to explore a possible bid for the Republican nomination for Governor of New Jersey in 1989. She was considered a potential gubernatorial candidate in 1993, but instead backed Christine Todd Whitman, who won. She was a top advisor to Whitman, both in her campaign and in her administration.

Lobbyist Gluck resigned as state Transportation Commissioner on July 7, 1989, to form a lobbying firm, Public Policy Advisors, Inc., with former state Department of Environmental Protection Assistant Commissioner Sidney Ytkin. She later formed GluckShaw in a partnership with Judy Shaw. Shaw resigned from the firm in 1994 to become Governor Whitman's Chief of Staff. She is now retired.

Gay rights activist Gluck was married to Joseph Gluck, M.D. for 25 years before divorcing in 1981. In 2013, at age 78, she announced that she was gay. In 2013, she attempted to lobby New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to support marriage equality.