He served on the Wantage Township Committee from 2004 to 2009, was elected as the township's mayor in 2005, 2008 and 2009, and served as deputy mayor in 2006 and 2007.[4]
Space served as freeholder until his appointment to the General Assembly filling a vacancy left by the resignation of Gary R. Chiusano in 2013.[4][9][10] Chiusano was appointed to the vacant position of Sussex County Surrogate, and Space was chosen by a convention called of party delegates from municipalities to fill the vacancy per New Jersey state law.[10] Space received 103 of the 158 delegate votes cast, defeating Bader Qarmout, John Wroblewski, and Mark Quick.[10] He was elected to his own full term in November 2013, then again in 2015 and 2017.
State Senate
Space had considered retiring from the Assembly after his term ended in 2024, but decided to run for the New Jersey Senate after Steve Oroho announced his retirement.[11] Space defeated Democrat Edmund Khanoo in the 2023 New Jersey Senate election.[12][13] Space was one of 10 new senators members elected for the first time in 2023 to serve in the Senate, a quarter of the seats.[14]
Space was criticized for playing Solitaire on the job during a debate on minimum wages.[17][18] In a candidate forum in October 2015, Space was quoted as saying: "There is nothing better than an unregistered gun, believe me."[19] In August 2017, Space was criticized for posting a photo of himself and his wife posing in front of a Confederate flag, which was superimposed with a picture of Hank Williams Jr.'s face. The inscription on the flag read: "If the South would've won, we would've had it made."[20]
On August 31, 2017, Space was recorded calling opponent Kate Matteson, saying "[...] And you can put that on the record. She is (an) elitist 1 percenter, an elitist who's a bitch. Gina (Gina Trish, Matteson's running mate), I've never met. I can't say anything bad about her. But Kate, I can. Because I know she's a bitch."[21]
Electoral history
Senate
24th Legislative District General Election, 2023[22]
^"Space says he'll resign as freeholder later this month", New Jersey Herald, March 4, 2013. Accessed May 6, 2022. "The process is drawing some comparisons to what happened in 2010 after State Labor Commissioner Hal Wirths resigned from the freeholder board, just 19 days before the primary. Hambel scheduled a convention to pick Wirths' replacement on June 19, eleven days after the primary. At the convention, Republicans unanimously decided to immediately seat Space, who was the top vote-getter in the primary."
^NJ Elections Voters Guide: 24th Legislative District, NJ Spotlight News. Accessed January 11, 2024. "Republican Sen. Steve Oroho is calling it quits after 16 years. Running for his seat is GOP Assemblyman Parker Space, the owner of Space Farms Zoo in Sussex County and a volunteer firefighter. Space had announced his retirement from the Legislature but changed his mind when Oroho decided not to seek reelection."
^Wildstein, David. "37 new lawmakers take office at noon", New Jersey Globe, January 9, 2024. Accessed January 9, 2024. "The 221st New Jersey Legislature begins today, with 37 new lawmakers – nearly one-third of the legislature – being sworn in at noon. That number includes ten new Senators and 27 new members of the General Assembly."
^Article IV, New Jersey State Constitution (1947).
