Former State Sen. Ed “The Trucker” Durr (R-Logan) delivered the following remarks at his announcement on May 13 that he will seek the Republican nomination for Governor of New Jersey in 2025:
“I would like to share a verse from the Bible.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me” (Philippians 4:13).
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming out tonight. I would also like to thank Ethel Hermenau and Pastor Kevin for allowing me to speak tonight.
“My friends, we are in a crisis. New Jersey is broken. Our government is broken, we are financially broken and we are morally broken.
“We have an administration that does not protect the people but works against them, by allowing criminals to go unpunished for their crimes. The governor released violent inmates early under COVID, placing all of New Jersey in danger as many of those released reoffended, with some even committing murder.
“We have a governor and an Attorney General that has abandoned the men and women in blue, refusing to stand with our law enforcement officers and handcuffing “them” so they cannot do their jobs of keeping our communities safe. They went after our first responders, healthcare workers and state employees for not taking the experimental and controversial COVID shot.
“And even with the rise in crime from this administrations’ criminal justice policies, they are delaying citizens from having the ability to protect themselves and their families as the US Supreme court has upheld the right of every citizen to exercise their constitutional second amendment right.
“We have seen the governor and legislature drive New Jersey closer to the edge of the abyss. Six years of increasing budgets, rising taxes and mounting debt has made New Jersey unaffordable for families. These policies have caused almost 1/3 of our small businesses to close, all with the tacit approval of the democrat controlled legislature. With our business environment being the worst in the nation, we continue to chase good companies away and fail to bring new businesses here. The democrat controlled legislature has failed in their duties to be a check and balance on the governor. This has allowed governor Murphy to ruin our economy, causing more of our citizens to move away, with seven out of every ten moves in New Jersey leaving the state. Add to all of this the fact that the Democrat majority in the legislature sent billions of dollars to a foreign energy corporation for a failed wind project has been destroying our coast line.
“My friends our current government leaders are morally bankrupt, they have mortgaged our children’s education, safety and their future to push a dangerous ideology that is out of touch with the majority of our citizens. New Jersey’s Attorney General has labeled moms and dads “domestic terrorists”, and targeted school boards for trying to protect children and parental rights. We have seen the democrat controlled legislature push the governor’s “woke” agenda of introducing inappropriate sexual material in schools. The legislature has stripped female athletes of opportunities and scholarships by allowing biological males to compete with females in sports. They have even allowed biological males to enter female locker rooms and other female spaces, putting women and girls in danger.
“In 2020, governor Murphy’s actions caused the death of 16k elderly in our nursing homes and state Veterans homes, and the democrat legislature refused to challenge his actions. They have ignored the calls for an investigation, as families suffer from their lost.
“Friends, we can do better. Together we can fight for New Jersey and our children’s future. We can stand behind our law enforcement officers while they do their important and dangerous jobs. We can support our first responders and respect their personal and medical choices that have no impact on how they serve our state.
“We can make New Jersey more affordable for everyone. We can provide a better education for our children, allowing children to be children, and parents to be parents.
“Together we can do better, because New Jersey deserves better. My friends, I am asking for your help and support as we work to make New Jersey better.
“I come here tonight because I believe this is our time, so tonight, before my family and friends and all of you, I am declaring my candidacy for New Jersey’s 2025 Republican primary for governor.
“In the coming months, I will be going around the state sharing my vision for New Jersey.
“Thank you and God Bless all of you, and God Bless the great state of New Jersey, and God Bless the America! Thank you so much!”