A pair of progressive Hudson County assemblymembers is weighing in on the Passaic County Commissioner race, endorsing Ali Aljarrah, a senior CAIR Action NJ adviser who is challenging a pair of party-backed candidates.
Assemblymembers Ravi Bhalla (D-Hoboken) and Katie Brennan (D-Jersey City) said Aljarrah will use his seat on the Board of Commissioners to push for progressive economic and environmental policies. Aljarrah is challenging incumbent Orlando Cruz and newcomer Nick Veliky, who have the backing of county Democratic Chairman John Currie.
“Ali Aljarrah has used his voice to hold big polluters, machine politics, and corporations accountable,” Bhalla said in a release. “Throughout his life and career, Ali has proven that he’s a true son of New Jersey. He fights for other families as hard as he fights for his own, and he travels across the state for the sole purpose of preserving all our civil rights.”
Their endorsement comes a day after Gov. Mikie Sherrill endorsed Cruz and Veliky. Currie was an early supporter of Sherrill’s first congressional bid.
Aljarrah, meanwhile, has received the backing of some notable progressives. Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, once a member of the progressive “Squad” in Congress, endorsed Aljarrah last month.
“Ali Aljarrah knows what it takes to fight for what’s right and win,” Brennan said. “He’s championed civil rights and defended free speech across the state, and in this campaign he’s advocating for bold economic, environmental, and transit policies that will lift up every family in the county. You can count on Ali to clean up the Passaic River, tackle food insecurity, and stand up for all our neighbors against ICE.”
Aljarrah initially sought the county party’s backing, but he backed out of the process, deeming it not “genuinely democratic.” Aljarrah said he had been asked to sign a pledge promising to drop out of the race if he didn’t receive the party endorsement.
Bhalla and Brennan defeated their own party-backed opponents last year, emerging from a six-person primary.
“Assembly Members Katie Brennan and Ravi Bhalla are two proven leaders in the progressive movement here in New Jersey. I’m proud to stand alongside them and honored to have them in this fight,” Aljarrah said. “We’ve worked together to Make Polluters Pay and elect progressives across the state, and together, we’re bringing that momentum to Passaic County.”