Aura Dunn was first selected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2019 and, one year later, won a special election in the 25th Legislative District, earning more than 64,000 votes—the most ever cast in a New Jersey Assembly race. She has since won three additional elections and is now serving her sixth year in the Legislature.

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In a short time, Assemblywoman Dunn has built a reputation as an effective legislator and pragmatic problem-solver who puts people over politics. She is a strong advocate for children and families, affordability, veterans, and government transparency.

 

Dunn serves on the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee and the Assembly Higher Education Committee. Following her leadership during the Route 80 sinkhole crisis—where she advanced the “Road to Relief” legislative package, worked closely with state agencies, and provided frequent, detailed updates to impacted constituents—she secured a seat on the Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee to continue pressing for infrastructure accountability and public safety.

 

She holds the Assistant Whip position in the Republican Caucus and is appointed to the New Jersey Puerto Rico Commission and the New Jersey Military Skills Council. Dunn is also a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Legislative Disability Caucus.

 

Before joining the Assembly, Dunn spent 30 years in public service. She served as District Director for Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, worked as a budget analyst on education policy for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and served as a policy advisor to the House Veterans Affairs Committee. She also represented America’s Public Television Stations, including Sesame Street and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, before Congress and the White House.

 

One of her proudest accomplishments from her time on Capitol Hill was her work on the Campus Crime Disclosure Act, commonly known as the Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to provide transparent campus crime and security information. In the Legislature, Dunn also sponsored landmark legislation establishing sexual extortion as a crime, with enhanced penalties when committed against a minor or a disabled individual.

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The daughter of a Marine Corps veteran and the mother of a Naval Reservist, Dunn serves on the board of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation and previously served on the boards of Morris Habitat for Humanity and Morris County Mental Health and Addictions Services. She is a JBWS–certified domestic violence crisis response volunteer for local police departments. For eight consecutive years, her family hosted a New York City child through the Fresh Air Fund.

 

Dunn earned her bachelor’s degree from University at Buffalo and her master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University. She also holds a certificate in mediation.

Aura and her husband of 30 years have three children and a rescue dog named Reagan.