South Jersey Democrat spent 15 years as a freeholder, six as a county chairman
By David Wildstein New Jersey Globe
Thomas A. Pankok, a humble, community-minded Korean War veteran who served two terms in the New Jersey State Assembly before he was swept out of office in Gov. Thomas Kean’s 1985 landslide re-election, died on January 31. He was 90.
Pankok launched his political career in 1958 as a 27-year-old candidate for Salem City Council. He was re-elected in 1960, winning his West Ward seat with 64% of the vote against Republican David Ayers.
Pankok was elected to the Salem County Board of Freeholders in 1965 with 62% against Republican Joseph Pew. That was at a time when most municipalities had their own freeholder. He won again in 1966, winning a two-year term for a reconstituted, smaller freeholder board.
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Pankok ran for re-election in 1968 on a ticket with former Senate Majority Leader John Waddington (D-Salem), who spent 12 years representing Salem County in the State Senate before losing re-election in 1967.
Waddington won, but the decision of Salem County voters to split their tickets led to Pankok finishing fourth in a four-candidate race, about 900 votes behind Waddington. Republican John Pancoast won, and his running mate, David Crockett, lost.
Following the resignation of Salem City Mayor Norris Williams to become undersheriff in 1969, the city council elected Pankok to serve as the new mayor. He did not run in a special election that year.
In 1970, Pankok was again elected to serve as a Salem County freeholder. He and George Ayes, the former mayor of Alloway, ousted Republican incumbent Lester Harris and William Martin by about 1,500 votes.
Despite the Watergate Democratic wave in 1973, Pankok just narrowly won re-election against Republicans Martyna McLean and Martin, who was seeking a comeback. Pankok won by about 300 votes.
Pankok won again in 1976. He ran about 3,000 votes in front of Republicans Stephen Rogers and George Pappas, a former freeholder. He won again in 1979.
When Assemblyman H. Donald Stewart (D-Oldmans) decided not to seek re-election to a fifth term in the 3rd legislative district, Democrats picked Pankok as his replacement on a ticket with four-term Assemblyman Martin Herman (D-Woodbury).
Herman and Pankok defeated Republicans Erwin Sheppard, a Lawrence Township Committeeman, and Harrison Township Deputy Mayor David Liddle. Herman finished 2,825 votes ahead of Pankok, who outpolled Sheppard by 4,025 votes.
The two Democrats were re-elected in 1983 against Republicans Russ Paul and Edmund “Duke” Downer. Pankok won by 3,655 votes.
With Kean, the popular Republican governor, heading the ticket in 1985, the GOP flipped fourteen Assembly seats to take control of the lower house for the first time in twelve years.
Pankok and Herman were among the casualties.
Related: Pankok retires as Delaware River and Bay Authority secretary
