Four leading candidates for New Jersey Governor met a packed audience in Voorhees Chapel on the Douglass Campus last Sunday March 2. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill and NJEA union president Sean Spiller fielded questions directly from union members or posed by moderator U.S. Senator Andy Kim.
The four are competing for the Democratic Party nomination, which will be held on June 10, 2025. Governor Phil Murphy is completing his second term this year so he cannot run again.
Rutgers union presidents (from left to right) at forum: Amy Higer (AAUP-AFT Adjunct Faculty Union), Becky Givan (AAUP-AFT Full Time Faculty), Kathy Hernandez (CWA 1031) and URA-AFT President Christine O’Connell.
Report Back
Djar Horn
URA member Djar Horn is a Labor Education Specialist (URA title Senior Program Administrator) who develops and facilitates labor education programs, assists with applied research, and helps with outreach and promotion for Labor Education And Research Network (https://smlr.rutgers.edu/LEARN). Horn attended the forum and volunteered to report back.
Q. What was your impression of the forum?
DH: Overall, I was very impressed with the event. It showed a tremendous potential to mobilize, educate and move the agenda to the left. Over 700 people, in person and online, came out months before the primary to hear from the candidates on working class issues. That is incredible. The power is there, we just have to unleash it.
Q. What motivated you to attend the forum Sunday?
DH: I believe working class issues will be misrepresented by the Republicans and brushed over by centrist Democrats. If we want to have a governor who responds to working class issues and fights against the billionaire’s takeover of our government, then we need an organized push to get these issues on the agenda for the campaign. I wanted to see how these candidates would respond to our issues.
Q. What is the importance of union members being involved with politics?
DH; Union members are better educated about issues, especially when our unions keep us informed. We are accustomed to acting in solidarity for the greater good. We understand how to take on powerful interests and win. We understand how to bargain. People listen to us. We are credible. Politicians respond to us, when we mobilize. And they know who can and cannot mobilize.
Q. Did you hear anything that changed your way of thinking Sunday?
DH: I changed my opinion about all the candidates. I had general opinions about each: winnability, commitment to workers and progressive ideas, and willingness to fight back. And I had to rethink every one of the opinions I had about each candidate. In fact, if the vote was today, the event changed my vote and why I would vote that way.
Q. What would you say to a fellow union member who expresses apathy along the lines of “it doesn’t matter who gets elected”?
DH: I believe it does matter. Some candidates support our civil rights, some do not. Some candidates fund the state pension, some do not. Some candidates stand by workers right to fight for better wages and conditions, some do not. That is my experience.
More: NJ Spotlight News
