Small business owner Rosemary Hernandez Carroll will join former Teaneck Deputy Mayor Emil “Yitz” Stern in seeking the Democratic nomination for Assembly 37th legislative district.
The pair are in a crowded Democratic primary that includes two incumbents, Assemblywomen Shama Haider (D-Tenafly) and Ellen Park (D-Englewood Cliffs). In a release, the pair said their platform includes housing affordability, school funding, infrastructure and public safety improvements, and support for small businesses.
“We need leaders in Trenton who truly understand the daily challenges of Bergen County families—from the cost of living to housing affordability and robust schools,” Stern said in a release. “Coming out of retirement was not a decision I took lightly, but I believe it’s necessary to help meet our community’s needs. There’s no better partner than Rosemary as we stand ‘Together for Bergen 37.’”
This year’s Assembly primaries will be the first without the county line in decades. The ballot system, which gave party-endorsed candidates an advantageous spot on ballots, was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge last year. As such, a plethora of primary challengers are signing up to take on party-aligned candidates across the state.
Stern currently works as a fiscal officer for the Bergen County Department of Public Safety and his time as a commissioner on the NJ State Commission on Holocaust Education and the New Jersey-Israel Commission.
Carroll, the daughter of Dominican immigrants, is a realtor and Hackensack resident, according to the release.
“As a realtor and community advocate, I see firsthand how families are impacted by rising housing costs and shrinking opportunities,” Carroll said in the release. “Como hija de inmigrantes dominicanos, sé lo que significa luchar por oportunidades justas y viviendas asequibles. We’re running to ensure our district has strong, responsive leadership rooted in fairness and opportunity. By coming together, we can make Bergen County thrive for every resident.”
Also in the primary are Tenafly Councilman Dan Park and Tamar Warburg, a Teaneck Democratic leader and general counsel of the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest NJ. The pair are backed by Jersey City Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Steven Fulop, who is supporting Assembly primary challengers across the state.
Stern and Carroll’s announcement comes with the endorsements of Teaneck Mayor Mark “Mendy” Schwartz, former Teaneck Mayors Elie Y. Katz and Paul Ostrow, Rabbi Daniel Fridman, the Bergen County Jewish Action Committee, and five current or former municipal officials from within the district.
The 37th is solidly Democratic. The winners of the June primary will be expected to win the general election in November.