Robert R. Peacock

Robert R. Peacock. Sr. (January 30, 1928 - October 31, 2010) is an American Democratic Party politician and banking executive.
Born in West Orange, New Jersey, Peacock served as President of the New Jersey Young Democrats in the late 1940s while attending Seton Hall University and worked on the campaign of New Jersey Gov. Robert B. Meyner in 1953. After Meyner's election, Peacock took a post in the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance and later became Deputy Commissioner and Executive Director of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission. He was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the Livingston Township Council in 1956 and 1958, and served as the Chairman of the Livingston, New Jersey Democratic Party from 1957 to 1972. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ramapo Bank from 1967 to 1994.
In 1960, at age 32, Peacock won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's 12th district. He won the support of the Essex County Democratic Committee and defeated Paul Domonkos of Irvington in the Democratic Primary by a vote of 7,653 (82%) to 1,703. (18%). In the General Election, he faced freshman Republican U.S. Rep. George M. Wallhauser. He lost by a margin of just 3,826 votes out of more than 153,000 cast, 76,945 (50%) to 73,119 (48%). Peacock challenged Wallhauser again in 1962, and lost by 6,386 votes, 57,169 (53%) to 50,783 (47%). Wallhauser retired in 1964, a Democratic year, but Essex County Democrats declined to go with Peacock a third time, instead nominating labor leader Paul J. Krebs, who won the open seat.
Peacock ran for office one last time, seeking a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly in a 1996 special election following the death of Republican Assemblyman Monroe Jay Lustbader. Peacock lost to Millburn Township Committeeman Joel Weingarten by more than 10,000 votes, 43,869 (56.52%) to 33,742 (43.48%).

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