NJEA backs Polistina, Moriarty in South Jersey Senate contests

The state’s largest teacher’s union is taking sides in two competitive South Jersey Senate races, backing Republican incumbent Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township) in the 2nd district and Democrat Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Township) in the 4th.

This is part of the third round of endorsements made by the influential New Jersey Education Association.  More announcements of support could come before the November general election.

The endorsements come with the financial and grassroots support of the NJEA.

“An endorsement is just the first step. Our members are also committed to supporting these endorsed advocates of public education by making phone calls, knocking on doors, speaking to friends and colleagues and, most importantly, by voting for them,” said NJEA President Sean M. Spiller, Vice President Steve Beatty, and Secretary-Treasurer, Petal Robertson.  “We are determined to once again elect a pro-public education majority in the New Jersey Legislature so we can continue to progress we are making and address the challenges we face.”

In the 2nd district Assembly race, the NJEA is supporting just Assemblyman Don Guardian (R-Atlantic City) for re-election to a second term; the union skipped another incumbent, Assemblywoman Claire Swift (R-Margate and her challenger, Alphonso Harrell, a public school teacher and U.S. Army veteran.

NJEA endorsements also went to Moriarty’s two Assembly running mates, Dan Hutchison and Cody Miller.

Several Republican lawmakers also captured teachers union endorsements: Brandon Umba (R-Medford) in the 8th; Brian Rumpf (R-Little Egg Harbor) in the 9th; Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) and Michele Matsikoudis (R-New Providence) in the 21st; and Anthony Bucco (R-Boonton) and Aura Dunn (R-Mendham) in the 25th.

“We are proud that our members have endorsed a bipartisan group of pro-public education candidates for this November’s election. These candidates have taken the time to meet with our members and discuss the issues that matter most to educators and New Jersey families,” Spiller, Beatty and Robertson said.   “They demonstrated that they respect the role educators play and we believe they will work with us to strengthen our profession, support our students and keep our schools the best in the nation.”

In the 21st district, where incumbents Bramnick and Matsikoudis were endorsed, the NJEA is telling members to make their own choice between t wo acceptable candidates: Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-Summit) and Elizabeth Graner, a former Rahway Education Association president.

Union endorsements went to Democrats in the 5th, 6th, 7th, 14th, 15th and 28th districts.

“Even where the members who made these endorsements don’t agree with every candidate on every issue, we all agree that our students deserve a great education and we commit to working together to achieve that,” Spiller, Beatty, and Robertson stated.