The New Jersey AFL-CIO today endorsed seven Republicans in South Jersey, putting them at odds with the Building and Construction Trades Council, and are backing Democratic challengers for State Assembly in the 11th district.
In the highly competitive 4th district, the union is backing Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Township) for an open State Senate seat against Republican Christopher Del Borrello, a former Washington Township councilman. But for the Assembly, the AFL-CIO endorsement went to Republican Matthew Walker, a former Buena councilman. No endorsement was made for the second Assembly seat. That follows a decision last week by Bill Mullen, the state building trades president, to endorse Democrats Dan Hutchinson and Cody Miller against Walker, an Operating Engineers Local 825 executive board member.
The AFL-CIO endorsed three Republican incumbents for re-election: State Sen. Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township), Assemblyman Don Guardian (R-Atlantic City), and Assemblywoman Claire Swift (R-Margate). The building trades declined to support anyone in the 2nd district.
The endorsements in the 3rd district went to Democrat John Burzichelli, a former ten-term assemblyman who is challenging State Sen. Ed Durr (R-Logan); for the Assembly, the union is backing Democrats Heather Simmons, a Gloucester County freeholder, and Dave Bailey, Jr. against Assemblywoman Bethanne McCarthy Patrick (R-Mannington) and her running mate, Hopewell Township Committeeman Thomas Tedesco.
In the 8th district, the AFL-CIO went Republican: Latham Tiver, a business agent for Operating Engineers Local 825 for Senate, and incumbents Brandon Umba (R-Medford) and Michael Torrissi, Jr. for Assembly.
No endorsement was made for State Senate in the 1st district, where Republican Michael Testa, Jr. (R-Vineland) is seeking a third term, but AFL-CIO endorsements went to his running mates, Assemblymen Antwan McClellan (R-Ocean City) and Erik Simonson (R-Lower Township).
The AFL-CIO went with Democratic challengers Luanne Peterpaul, a former municipal court judge, and Ocean Township Councilwoman Margie Donlon, in their bids to unseat freshmen Republican Assemblywoman Marilyn Piperno (R-Colts Neck) and Kim Eulner (R-Shrewsbury) in the 11th. State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch) also won the union endorsement.
In the 40th district, labor endorsements also went to Democrat Jennifer Ehrentraut, a Hawthorne school board member challenging State Sen. Kristin Corrado (R-Totowa), and her Assembly running mates, Giovanna Irizarry and Jennifer Marrinan. They face Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips (R-Wyckoff) and Essex County GOP Chairman Al Barlas.
For the open Senate seat in the 9th district, the AFL-CIO is backing Republican Carmen Amato, the mayor of Berkeley. No endorsements were made in the Assembly race.
“These legislative elections will have an outsized impact on our members, and it’s critical to help elect pro-worker majorities,” New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech said. “These candidates have illustrated that they stand on the side of working people and now we will work to stand on their side on Election Day.”
Labor support went to Democrats in the heavily-Republican 12th district.
No endorsements were made in the 10th, 13th, 23rd, 24th, 26th, and 39th districts – seats all held by Republicans.
State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) won the AFL-CIO’s backing, but not the two GOP assemblywomen, Nancy Munoz (R-Summit) and Michele Matsikoudis (R-New Providence).
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