Career
Russo served 27 years on the Union Township Committee, including ten years as the Mayor. He was elected to the New Jersey State Senate in 1977, when incumbent Democrat Alexander J. Menza declined to seek re-election. He was defeated in his bid for a second term in the Senate in 1981, losing to Assemblyman C. Louis Bassano by 2,705 votes, 52%-48%.
Bassano beat Russo two more times, by 566 votes in 1983 (505%-495%) and by 4,007 votes (56%-44%) in 1987.
Russo served many years as the Union County Adjuster. He also served as the Winfield Park Municipal Attorney and as an Assistant Union County Counsel.
