The New Jersey Working Families Party on Thursday endorsed a slate of 13 Assembly candidates for June’s primary, according to a release.
The progressive group said the baker’s dozen will be united to support working New Jerseyans. Each of the 13 endorsees faces a competitive primary in June.
“We’re proud to support a strong slate of candidates who will drive real change in Trenton by putting the needs of working families first,” said NJWFP State Director Antoinette Miles. “Now that we’ve finally consigned the corrupt county line system to the dustbin of history, we’re fully committed to electing candidates committed to fighting for working people.”
The NJWFP said it’s paying “special attention” to two candidates: Chigozie Onyema, the co-chair of Newark’s West Ward Democratic Committee, in the 28th, and Katie Brennan, a housing expert and former Murphy administration official, in the 32nd.
“[Brennan and Onyema] are running in competitive primaries with strong progressive credentials,” the press release read. “Wins in those hotly contested districts in Hudson and Essex counties have the potential to send shockwaves across state politics.”
Onyema was the party’s first endorsement last month.
The slate includes three incumbents: Alixon Collazos-Gill (D-Montclair) in the 27th district, Barbara McCann Stamato (D-Jersey City) in the 31st, and Al Abdelaziz (D-Paterson) in the 35th. All three face at least one Democratic primary challenger.
Another eight endorsees are challenging Democratic incumbents in the June 10 primary.
More than 200 candidates filed to run for Assembly this year, the most in decades.
NJWFP said candidates were required to fill out a questionnaire and complete an interview process with members of the party’s state committee.
“It’s not lost on me that I wouldn’t be able to run a real, competitive campaign if it weren’t for Working Families leading the charge to end the county line and bring fair ballots to New Jersey,” Brennan said in the release. “This is an organization that’s never been afraid to speak truth to power, and I’m proud to stand with them in the fight for affordable housing, better transit, and an economy that actually works for working people.”
The NJWFP was one of several progressive groups to endorse Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for governor last week.
The full slate of endorsed candidates:
- Carolyn Rush and Brandon Saffold, Legislative District 1
- Brian Everett, Legislative District 4
- Becky Holloway and Kevin Ryan, Legislative District 6
- Loretta Rivers, Legislative District 17
- Alixon Collazos-Gill, Legislative District 27
- Chigozie Onyema, Legislative District 28
- Barbara McCann Stamato, Legislative District 31
- Katie Brennan, Legislative District 32
- Al Abdelaziz, Legislative District 35
- Daniel Park, Legislative District 37
- Damali Robinson, Legislative District 38
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