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Catherine A. Costa
Catherine Aurora Costa (née Bravo; March 21, 1926 – June 27, 2025) was an American politician who represented New Jersey's 7th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1982 to 1984 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1984 to 1990.
As legislator, she sponsored legislation eliminating no-fault auto insurance, funding municipal wastewater treatment, and expanding access to housing and the state homestead tax rebate.
Catherine Aurora Bravo was born on March 21, 1926 in Brooklyn.
Later a resident of Mount Holly, Costa was one of the first residents of Levittown, before it was renamed as Willingboro Township, New Jersey. She served on the Willingboro Township Library Board of Trustees in 1959 and from 1962 to 1966. She chaired the township's Zoning Board from 1969 to 1973. In 1964, she was elected chair of the Willingboro Democratic organization.
Costa became involved in politics after working on John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960. She was present in October when Kennedy campaigned in Willingboro.
In 1970, Costa ran for Burlington County freeholder. She was opposed by the Burlington County Democratic Party organization, which supported county clerk Charles Ehrlich and Vincent Rogliano, who had withdrawn from a campaign for Congress in order to clear the field for Charles B. Yates. Although she ran off the line, she ran with incumbent U.S. senator Harrison A. Williams, since the Burlington organization had given the line to his challenger, Frank J. Guarini. She lost the primary by a large margin, running third in every municipality except New Hanover, which she narrowly won. However, Costa quickly had another opportunity to run when Richard Nixon appointed freeholder Anthony Greski as U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey. In the special election to complete Greski's term, Costa lost to Republican Frank Lockhart by eighteen votes out of more than 70,000 cast after a recount.
In 1971, Costa defeated Lockhart in a recount by about four thousand votes. In 1974, she was re-elected over former freeholder James A. Miller in a landslide following the Watergate scandal.
In 1976, Costa was the Democratic nominee for New Jersey's 6th congressional district, which included parts of Camden, Burlington and Ocean counties. Although Jimmy Carter nearly carried the district against incumbent Gerald Ford, Costa was defeated by incumbent Edwin B. Forsythe in a landslide. She received only forty percent of the vote.
Catherine A. Costa
Catherine Aurora Costa (née Bravo; March 21, 1926 – June 27, 2025) was an American politician who represented New Jersey's 7th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1982 to 1984 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1984 to 1990.
As legislator, she sponsored legislation eliminating no-fault auto insurance, funding municipal wastewater treatment, and expanding access to housing and the state homestead tax rebate.
Catherine Aurora Bravo was born on March 21, 1926 in Brooklyn.
Later a resident of Mount Holly, Costa was one of the first residents of Levittown, before it was renamed as Willingboro Township, New Jersey. She served on the Willingboro Township Library Board of Trustees in 1959 and from 1962 to 1966. She chaired the township's Zoning Board from 1969 to 1973. In 1964, she was elected chair of the Willingboro Democratic organization.
Costa became involved in politics after working on John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960. She was present in October when Kennedy campaigned in Willingboro.
In 1970, Costa ran for Burlington County freeholder. She was opposed by the Burlington County Democratic Party organization, which supported county clerk Charles Ehrlich and Vincent Rogliano, who had withdrawn from a campaign for Congress in order to clear the field for Charles B. Yates. Although she ran off the line, she ran with incumbent U.S. senator Harrison A. Williams, since the Burlington organization had given the line to his challenger, Frank J. Guarini. She lost the primary by a large margin, running third in every municipality except New Hanover, which she narrowly won. However, Costa quickly had another opportunity to run when Richard Nixon appointed freeholder Anthony Greski as U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey. In the special election to complete Greski's term, Costa lost to Republican Frank Lockhart by eighteen votes out of more than 70,000 cast after a recount.
In 1971, Costa defeated Lockhart in a recount by about four thousand votes. In 1974, she was re-elected over former freeholder James A. Miller in a landslide following the Watergate scandal.
In 1976, Costa was the Democratic nominee for New Jersey's 6th congressional district, which included parts of Camden, Burlington and Ocean counties. Although Jimmy Carter nearly carried the district against incumbent Gerald Ford, Costa was defeated by incumbent Edwin B. Forsythe in a landslide. She received only forty percent of the vote.