The American Federation of Teachers New Jersey (AFTNJ), a union representing 30,000 teachers across the state, has voted to support the Democratic nominee in every congressional race in New Jersey this year, including in districts that the union chose to skip in 2022.
The endorsements were made nearly two months ago at the union’s June 24 delegate assembly, but were not widely publicized.
Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) has the AFTNJ’s support for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated today by disgraced Senator Bob Menendez; Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Delran) has its endorsement for Kim’s open 3rd district seat; and Sue Altman, the Democratic nominee in the highly competitive 7th district, has its backing in her race against Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield).
The union also endorsed two Democrats running longer-shot races in Republican-leaning districts: Joe Salerno in the 2nd district and Matt Jenkins in the 4th. In 2022, the AFTNJ declined to make an endorsement in either of those contests.
“Our endorsement is a vote of trust in Joe to promote legislation that strengthens our schools and our economy,” AFTNJ president Jennifer Higgins said of the union’s support for Salerno. “We appreciate his commitment to education, health care, labor and making life better in South Jersey. Our membership is committed, and we will knock on doors and make calls to get out the vote as Election Day approaches.”
The union’s endorsement list also includes two endorsements that are now out of date: Joe Biden for president (the national AFT has since endorsed Kamala Harris), and the “Winner of District 10 Democratic Primary” in the late Rep. Donald Payne Jr.’s 10th district, which is set to be filled by Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver.
The AFTNJ is the second-most powerful teachers’ union in the state after the New Jersey Education Association, which has so far announced endorsements of Kim, Altman, and every House Democratic incumbent running for re-election, but has not waded into the races for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 10th districts.