Joseph Minish

Who was Joseph Minish?

Joseph George Minish was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who represented New Jersey's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.

Born in Throop, Pennsylvania, Minish served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1946.

After a career in organized labor working for the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the AFL-CIO, Minish was elected to Congress in 1962 and served there for 22 years. he defeated William L. Stubbs in 1964. In 1970, he easily defeated Republican James W. Shue., the father of actors Elisabeth Shue and Andrew Shue. In early 1984, a court-ordered redrawing of New Jersey's congressional districts shifted most of heavily Republican Morris County to Minish's 11th District. Although Minish now found himself in one of the most Republican districts in the Northeast, he opted to run for reelection that year. He lost by 11 points to State Assemblyman Dean Gallo, a Morris County resident.

Minish was a longtime resident of West Orange, New Jersey.

By executive order of Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine, United States and New Jersey flags were flown at half-staff at all state departments, offices and agencies on December 5, 2007, "to honor the memory and the passing of Representative Minish".