Mike Sikand, the chairman of the Oceanport Democratic municipal committee, has endorsed Patricia Campos-Medina for U.S. Senate, giving Campos-Medina her first notable endorser from crucial Monmouth County.
“At a moment in the world that is so perilous for so many around the world, we need leaders who are willing to stand for the right thing, even when it’s not the easy thing,” Sikand said in a statement. “Whether it’s supporting a ceasefire in Gaza, fighting for Medicare-for-All, or helping ensure workers are paid what they’re worth, Patricia has always been willing to do what’s right and there is no one in this race I trust more to deliver for New Jersey than her.”
As the Democratic chairman in a solidly Republican town, Sikand has little formal power over local government. But what he does have is a vote at next month’s Monmouth County Democratic convention, which will be this year’s first county convention and which will be seen as an initial test of the 2024 Senate field.
Two other candidates, Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) and First Lady Tammy Murphy, are widely viewed as the frontrunners for the Senate seat currently held by indicted Senator Bob Menendez. The Monmouth convention is very likely to be won by either Kim or Murphy, but Campos-Medina will want to win as many votes as she can to prove her candidacy’s viability; notably, Monmouth Democrats don’t hold convention runoffs if no one gets a majority of the vote, so any votes Campos-Medina wins are votes that are permanently lost to Kim and Murphy.
See here for a full list of endorsements in New Jersey’s 2024 congressional contests.