Raymond John Zane (July 23, 1939 – January 8, 2024) was an American politician who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1974 to 2002, where he represented the 3rd Legislative District.
A star pitcher on the school's baseball team, he was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and played until his professional career was ended by injury.
In a refer back to Ronald Reagan, Zane said that "I didn't leave the Democratic Party, but outgrew it."
Zane had been feuding with Gloucester County Democratic Party head Michael A. Angelini, and the feud had escalated to the point that Zane faced the prospect of a challenge in the Democratic primary from Stephen M. Sweeney, then director of the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
[6] Zane had been earning close to $95,000 a year from contracts with the Deptford Township Schools, the Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School District, the Gloucester County Board of Social Services, and with the municipalities of Greenwich Township, Paulsborp and Penns Grove.