Katie Brennan will seek the Democratic nomination for State Assembly in Hudson County’s 32nd district next year.
“As a lifelong public servant who has fought for affordable housing in Hudson County and across New Jersey, I pledge to make our state more affordable for everyone,” said Brennan, who has worked for governors of New Jersey and New York, said in a statement released this morning.
In October 2018, Brennan publicly accused Al Alvarez of raping her while the two were working on Phil Murphy’s first campaign for governor the previous year. Alvarez resigned from his state government job several months after Brennan privately told officials about the assault.
“As a survivor of sexual assault, I pledge to be a fighter for those who feel forgotten by their representatives. As a woman who was unafraid to speak truth to power even in my darkest days, I pledge to make our government more accountable and transparent,” stated Brennan. “I look forward to a spirited campaign and to serving the people of Hudson County in Trenton.”
The district includes Hoboken and parts of Jersey City. Brennan will compete in a primary that will likely be without a county line that offers the endorsed candidate of the Hudson County Democratic organization a preferential ballot position; instead, New Jersey is widely expected to have office block ballots after a lawsuit that looks close to being settled.
Freshman Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (D-Jersey City) is likely to seek re-election on a slate allied with gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City. Another first-term lawmaker, John Allen (D-Hoboken), might not run next year, with Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla at the top of short lists as Ramirez’s running mate. If Bhalla opts out of a legislative bid, Allen could change his mind.
Another potential candidate is Ron Bautista, a marketing executive who came within 235 votes of ousting five-term incumbent Anthony Romano in the Democratic primary for a Hoboken seat on the Hudson County Board of Commissioners in 2023.
The Hudson County Democratic Organization is poised to back Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) for governor against Fulop, but it has not yet fielded its slate of candidates in what could be a six-candidate field.
Brennan served as chief of staff at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and later went to work for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio as a senior advisor to the deputy mayor of Housing and Economic Development. After that, she joined Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration as executive director of the New York State Office of Resilient Homes and Communities. Brennan now works for a New York-based public relations firm.