Joseph McGahn

Joseph Leo McGahn (March 29, 1917 – December 24, 1999) was an American obstetrician and Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1972 to 1978, where he was a key figure in bringing casino gambling to Atlantic City.

Education and medical career McGahn was born in Atlantic City. He graduated from Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, attended St. Mary's College of Maryland, graduating summa cum laude in 1939 and was awarded his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1943 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. After graduating from medical school, he served as a general surgeon in the United States Army Medical Corps during World War II.

After returning from military service, he practiced internal medicine and surgery in Atlantic City. Starting in 1951, he began a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology.

Shortly after taking office, McGahn was the cosponsor of a bill to bring casino gambling to New Jersey. He was described by The New York Times as the "principal architect" of legislation that brought casino gambling to Atlantic City. While in the Senate, he served as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Energy and the Environment.

Party leadership at the Democratic convention in 1977 roundly supported Steven P. Perskie, a Democratic member of the New Jersey General Assembly, by a margin of 266 to 77. Both McGahn and Perskie had won election to the Legislature in 1971, despite the Republicans 4-1 edge in registration. Perskie won reelection with 29,151 votes, defeating McGahn, who received 28,149.

After the legislature Both before and after his service in the legislature, he worked at the Atlantic City Medical Center, specializing in emergency medicine. From 1984 to 1989, he became medical director at Resorts International.

McGahn had been a longtime resident of Absecon, New Jersey. He died on December 24, 1999, at Meadowview Nursing Home in Northfield, New Jersey.