Biography

Biography for Congressman Jon Daniel Runyan

Congressman Jon Runyan was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2010 to represent New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District in Congress.  The 3rd District is located in central New Jersey and stretches from the Pennsylvania border to the Jersey coastline. It encompasses parts of Burlington and Ocean counties.

Congressman Runyan currently serves on three key committees: the House Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Natural Resources Committees.  He also serves on the Tactical Air and Land, and Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee, which will allow him to protect the jobs and mission of those serving at McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, a joint base for the Air Force, Army and Navy.  Congressman Runyan also chairs the Disability and Memorial Affairs (DAMA) Subcommittee of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.  This subcommittee oversees veterans' benefits and cemeteries.   

Jon was born in Flint, Michigan where his father worked for General Motors for nearly 30 years while his mother largely stayed home and raised Jon and his two younger twin brothers. An accomplished high school athlete, Jon earned a scholarship to the University of Michigan to play football, becoming the first person in his family to attend college.

From there, he was drafted by the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) in 1996 and helped the Titans reach the Super Bowl in 2000. Jon then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he enjoyed a successful career as an offensive tackle, helping to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance in 2004. Jon retired from football at the end of the 2010 season.

During his time in the NFL Jon was known for his strong work ethic and tenacity on the field, as well as his commitment to community service off the field. He was involved in numerous charities and established a sound reputation as one of the most well-known humanitarians in the Philadelphia-South Jersey area.  He worked with the NJ Special Olympics, USO, Leukemia-Lymphoma Society, the American Red Cross, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and served as the Grand Marshall for the Armed Forces Freedom Ride.  He also served on the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of the Delaware Valley and hosted the “Score for the Cure” Golf Tournament benefiting prostate cancer research in New Jersey.

At Michigan, Jon studied Kinesiology, the science of human movement. He has also studied Entrepreneurial Management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.  He is only the fourth professional football player to be elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Congressman Runyan currently resides in Mount Laurel Township with his wife Loretta and three children, Jon, Jr., Alyssa and Isabella.