Rivers: I ran to serve and my race has just begun

OPINION

It has been little over a month and I am still in awe how close I came to serving the people. I didn’t enter the race for the State Assembly to chase a title I entered to serve the people.

As a mother, school board member, and lifelong advocate, I know what it means to work for our communities not above them. I’ve sat with families struggling to find affordable housing, walked with students in under-resourced schools, and stood with neighbors calling for transparency in government. That’s what pushed me to run.

Not ambition. Not politics. Service.

This past primary race in the 17th legislative district was a clear reminder of what we’re up against but also of what’s possible. I stood toe-to-toe with two well-funded, well-known incumbents who had party lines, political machines, and deep pockets behind them. Still, we built a movement with people’s power and purpose. With just a fraction of the resources and no big-name endorsements, we came within 500 votes of one of the incumbents. That speaks volumes.

It means the people are listening. It means they’re paying attention. And it means they are ready for change.

We won in towns like South Bound Brook and held strong in places like Piscataway and North Brunswick because voters saw something different in our campaign: honesty, heart, and a commitment to everyday people. We didn’t make promises we couldn’t keep. We didn’t play political games. We simply showed up and told the truth.