LaRossa was one of two Republican Senators to fall to defeat; John Scott in District 36 was the other. In the loss to Turner, LaRossa received 46.1% of the votes to Turner's 53.9%. 1996 US Senate Election In the 1996 New Jersey Republican primary for U.S. Senate, LaRossa came in third with 12%, behind three-term Congressman Dick Zimmer who had 68% of the vote and Passaic County Freeholder Richard DuHaime with 19%. Zimmer was the front-runner from the start, getting endorsements from Republican leaders across the state, including Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. Both DuHaime, a pro-life candidate, and LaRossa, a pro-gun candidate, attempted to portray Zimmer as too liberal, but Zimmer largely ignored his opponents and won the primary. Post-Senate Throughout 2010 and 2011, LaRossa advocated against the policies of the Obama administration. He was sympathetic to the Tea Party Movement. LaRossa gave opening remarks at a Tea Party convention titled "The Battle of Trenton" in 2011, named for the battle during the American Revolutionary War. LaRossa was a keynote speaker for the New Jersey Constitution Party at their annual New Jersey's Constitution Day celebration. During these events, LaRossa reaffirmed his stances against the Obama administration's policies and advocated for candidates and voters to be pragmatic regarding holding public servants accountable. Themes of accountability and fiscal responsibility were common in his appearances. Local Politics In 2018, LaRossa sought one of two seats on Ewing Township Council as an Independent, on a slate with Kate McKinley for council and Ronald Prykanowski for mayor. They challenged the incumbent Democratic mayor Bert Steinmann and councilmembers Kathleen Wollert and Sara Steward. LaRossa finished in fourth, receiving 11.33% percent of the vote. In 2021, LaRossa sought the Republican nomination for Mercer County Surrogate. LaRossa ran on a slate with four others titled "Mercer Republicans United", a name which attempted to highlight the existing fractures within the Mercer County Republican Party. The slate included Jennifer Williams for Republican State Committeeperson, who was later elected to Trenton City Council in the North Ward in 2022. Along with LaRossa and Williams, Joseph Stillwell, Michel Hurtado, and Volodymyr "Vlad" Machevus ran for the Mercer County Board of County Commissioners. The campaign portrayed LaRossa as a moderate elder statesman, and the slate claimed their focus was to "form a team of candidates who are committed to winning, building the Republican Party, and reaching out to every voter – no matter