He switched to the Democratic Party in 2007 after local Republicans dropped support for his reelection campaign to the Assembly and unsuccessfully ran for the New Jersey Senate.

Bodine served in the Assembly on the Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee.

[1] Bodine was selected in February 1994 by the District Republican Committee to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Assemblyman Robert C. Shinn Jr. On April 5, 2007, Bodine announced that he was switching from the Republican Party, would serve the balance of his term as a Democrat, and would run as a Democrat to fill the Senate seat to be vacated by Martha W. Bark.

[2] Bodine, running as a Democrat, was defeated by the Republican candidate, Phil Haines, on November 6, 2007, in his race for the New Jersey State Senate by a margin of 39% to 61%.

Assemblyman Bodine sponsored legislation providing for $500 million bridge repair bond referendum, unification of ports of Pennsylvania and Camden oversight agencies and for authorization and funding of the Delaware Valley light rail project.