Democrat,

New Jersey had a busy week! Our new Senator George Helmy was sworn into Congress, and LaMonica McIver was elected in CD-10’s special election to complete the late Congressman Payne Jr. ‘s term. And as we celebrate the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month, State Senator Nellie Pou has received support to become the first Latina federal legislator to replace the late Rep. Bill Pascrell on the ballot.

I am also excited to introduce our new tri-state voter outreach initiative. New Jersey Dems, Rhode Island Dems, and NE LiUNA have teamed up to call undecided voters in North Carolina to help bring that state over the finish line. North Carolina is widely considered a purple state and in 2020 went for Trump by under three percentage points. It also has an incredibly tight Governor’s race this year with Attorney General Josh Stein (D) facing Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (R).

But yesterday, news broke of past comments posted online from Mark Robinson that can only be described as heinous, discriminatory, and frightening. Members of the NC Republican Congressional legislation have even described the allegations as “very concerning.” This is why our upcoming phone bank initiative into North Carolina has never been so important. We cannot allow another state to fall into Republican hands, not with abortion bans being enacted throughout our nation at a frightening rate. Undecided voters must know how pivotal of a choice they have on November 5th, and we have the opportunity to help with that. We will have special guests on each week in October to kick off each phone bank shift. So my call to action to you today is to sign up for at least one shift. I’ll see you there!

At the Governor’s Conference on Housing and Economic Development, Governor Murphy announced a commitment of $180 million to nonprofit organizations and local governments through the Department of Community Affairs’ Lead Remediation and Abatement Program (LRAP). This funding will support lead-safe repairs in homes exposed to lead-based paint. With the final $40 million being obligated this month, the Murphy Administration will have fully allocated its historic investment from the State Fiscal Year 2022 and 2023 budgets to combat childhood lead poisoning.

“We are providing grants to communities up and down our state — from Paterson to Vineland — so we can ensure that every one of our children is protected from the dangers of lead-based paint,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “This funding will directly benefit thousands of households and is a perfect example of how safe housing is at the heart of our Administration’s vision for making New Jersey the best place, anywhere in America, to raise a family.”

On National Voter Registration Day, the White House hosted a roundtable with youth leaders from various states (including New Jersey) to discuss their nonpartisan initiatives aimed at promoting civic engagement and voter registration among young Americans. Participants addressed barriers to voting, including unfamiliarity with the process, lack of information on registration and polling locations, and voter suppression laws. The Biden-Harris Administration reaffirmed its commitment to expanding voting access, highlighting efforts like the improved vote.gov website and educational tools from the Department of Education.

Additionally, they called on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. The General Services Administration (GSA) announced the revamped vote.gov site, which now offers resources in 19 languages and new accessibility features.

Check out how New Jersey took part in National Voter Registration Day! NJ Dems, NJ High School Dems, and the NJ Young Dems organized various events and initiatives to promote voter registration, engage young voters, and raise awareness about the importance of civic participation.

— Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr.

P.S. Join our Progressive Caucus, Emerging Leaders Caucus, New Jersey Young Democrats, and New Jersey High School Democrats with Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-2) to discuss the stakes for climate and environmental policy in this election, along with the threats posed by Project 2025 and Christian nationalism—all from the perspective of the only open nontheist in Congress.

Thursday, September 26th
6:30-7:30PM
Virtual – Sign up here!

Click Here for more information.