A video of actor and political activist Jane Fonda urging voters in the 25th district to vote for Democratic State Senate candidate Christine Clarke has a Republican lawmaker and former Army helicopter combat pilot outraged.
“An endorsement from ’Hanoi Jane’ is an insult to the veteran community in New Jersey. Christine Clarke should summarily reject her, and return her money,” said Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-Denville), a West Point graduate. “I sit in Trenton with enough people on the Democrat side who show day in and day out that they don’t have a care in the world about actually improving veterans’ lives in this state. Clearly, Christine Clarke would be another one of those people.”
Fonda has expressed regret over the photo.
Clarke, who is challenging Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco, was endorsed yesterday by the Jane Fonda Climate PAC
“My team at the Jane Fonda Climate PAC and I are so excited to be supporting Christine Clarke for State Senate in New Jersey,” said Fonda. “I know she has what it takes to be a leader in the State Senate on climate, and boy do we need more climate leaders at the state level like Christine.”
Bergen says that many North Jersey veterans still resent Fonda’s vocal opposition to the Vietnam War in the 1960s. She received the “Hanoi Jane” moniker after visiting North Vietnam, posing for photos with soldiers, and making statements criticizing U.S. military personnel.
“The Democrats running in the 25th District have hit an all-time low with the acceptance of this endorsement, and I urge Christine Clarke’s running mates to disavow this support and urge Clarke to cancel the endorsement rally,” Clarke said. “Veteran voters should rally behind Team Bucco.,”
Clarke is making her third bid for the legislature. She ran for Assembly in 2019 and challenged State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Montville) in 2021.
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