Representative Dominick Vincent Daniels

Dominick Vincent Daniels (October 18, 1908 – July 17, 1987) was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey’s 14th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for nine consecutive terms from 1959 to 1977. Over the course of his 18 years in Congress, Daniels contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his New Jersey constituents.

Daniels was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on October 18, 1908. He was educated in the Jersey City public schools and graduated from William L. Dickinson High School in 1925. After completing his secondary education, he attended Fordham University in New York City, pursuing higher studies that prepared him for a professional career in law and public service.

Following his undergraduate studies, Daniels enrolled at Rutgers University Law School in Newark, New Jersey. He graduated from Rutgers Law School in 1929 and was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1930. Soon thereafter, he commenced the practice of law in Jersey City, establishing himself in the legal profession and building the experience and local connections that would later support his entry into public office.

Daniels’s judicial and municipal service began with his appointment as a magistrate of the Jersey City Municipal Court in May 1952. He was reappointed to that position in 1955 and subsequently elevated to presiding magistrate, a role in which he served until March 1958. His work on the municipal court bench, combined with his legal practice, enhanced his reputation in local Democratic circles and helped pave the way for his election to Congress.

In the political arena, Daniels became increasingly active in Democratic Party affairs on both the state and national levels. He served as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1960, 1964, and 1968, participating in the nomination of presidential candidates and the formulation of party platforms during a transformative era in American politics. His growing prominence within the party coincided with his successful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Daniels was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-sixth Congress and to the eight succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1959, to January 3, 1977. Representing New Jersey’s 14th congressional district, he served during a period marked by the civil rights movement, the Great Society programs, the Vietnam War, and significant changes in federal domestic and foreign policy. As a member of the House of Representatives, Dominick Vincent Daniels participated actively in the legislative process and worked to represent the interests and concerns of his district. After nine terms in office, he chose not to be a candidate for reelection in 1976 to the Ninety-fifth Congress.

After leaving Congress in January 1977, Daniels returned to the practice of law in Jersey City, resuming his legal career and remaining engaged in the civic life of northern New Jersey. He lived in Union City, New Jersey, during his later years while maintaining close ties to the community he had long served. Dominick Vincent Daniels died in Jersey City on July 17, 1987. He was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, New Jersey, reflecting his lifelong connection to the region.

Daniels’s public service has been commemorated in New Jersey through the naming of the United States Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center on Newark Turnpike in Kearny, New Jersey, in his honor. His name is also included in the postmark on envelopes processed at that facility, providing a lasting tribute to his years of service in Congress and to his contributions to the state and its citizens.