Today Garden State Equality Action Fund, New Jersey’s largest LGBTQ advocacy and education organization with over 150,000 members, released its endorsements for the 2019 state and local elections along with a list of LGBTQ-identified candidates running for office.

“Standing up for equality is always right, and because of their proven record and commitment to New Jersey’s LGBTQ community, each of these candidates have decisively earned Garden State Equality’s endorsement,” said Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director of Garden State Equality. “From now through election day, Garden State Equality will be educating voters and our 150,000 members about what’s at stake in this election—and who’s on their side. We are proud to support this slate of candidates, and we look forward to building a more equal New Jersey with them in office.”

Candidates in every legislative district were invited to complete a questionnaire; Garden State Equality Action Fund’s board thoroughly reviewed submissions and approved the final endorsement list. Each of the endorsed candidates has a demonstrated record of working with and supporting issues of importance to the LGBTQ community, and they have offered commitments to support our 2020 legislative agenda.

“There has been a remarkable amount of progress in passing LGBTQ protections over the last two years, including the Babs Siperstein Law and LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum,” said Chris Donnelly, Board Chair of Garden State Equality Action Fund. “But our work is far from over. From decriminalizing and destigmatizing HIV/AIDS to abolishing the gay and trans panic defense, Garden State Equality is committed to working with our allies in the Legislature and across the state to further the cause of equality.”

For the 2020 legislative session, Garden State Equality has released a bold policy agenda including: banning the gay and trans “panic defense”; reforming New Jersey’s archaic HIV criminalization laws; securing statewide funding to support LGBTQ homeless youth; and passing a bill of rights for LGBTQ older adults (S3484). S3484 passed the Senate health committee in May. Other legislation is still being drafted. Electing a pro-equality state legislature is critical to ensuring successful passage of these items.

To date, Garden State Equality has passed over 220 laws protecting New Jersey’s LGBTQ community, including LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, which was signed into law by Governor Murphy on January 31, 2019. At the time, New Jersey was the second state in the nation to pass such a law. Since then, Illinois, Colorado, and Maryland have followed New Jersey’s lead, with legislation quickly advancing in other states.

Garden State Equality Action Fund 501(c)4 2019 Endorsements

* Incumbent

State Senate:

LD 1 — Bob Andrzejczak (D)*

General Assembly:

LD 1 — Bruce Land (D)*

LD 2 — John Armato (D)* Vincent Armato (D)*

LD 3 — John Burzichelli (D)* Adam Taliaferro (D)*

LD 4 — Gabriela Mosquera (D)* Paul Moriarty (D)*

LD 5 — Bill Spearman (D)* Bill Moen (D)

LD 6 — Lou Greenwald (D)* Pamela Lampitt (D)*

LD 7 — Herb Conaway (D)* Carol Murphy (D)*

LD 8 — Gina LaPlaca (D) Mark Natale (D)

LD 9 — Wayne Lewis (D)

LD 10 — Eileen Della Volle (D)

LD 11 — Joann Downey (D)* Eric Houghtaling (D)*

LD 12 — Malini Guha (D)

LD 13 — Serena DiMaso (R)* Allison Friedman (D)

While we are concerned that she abstained from voting on the LGBTQ curriculum legislation, Assemblywoman DiMaso has been supportive of some of the most important LGBTQ related bills that have passed through the Assembly during her time.

LD 14 — Dan Benson (D)*  Wayne DeAngelo (D)*

LD 15 — Jennifer Williams (R) Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)* Anthony Verrelli (D)*

LD 16 — Andrew Zwicker (D)* Roy Freiman (D)*

LD 17 — Joe Danielsen (D)*

LD 18 — Nancy Pinkin (D)* Bob Karabinchak (D)*

LD 19 — Craig Coughlin (D)* Yvonne Lopez (D)*

LD 20 — Jamel Holley (D)* Annette Quijano (D)*

LD 21 — Stacey Gunderman (D) Lisa Madelblatt (D)

LD 22 — Jim Kennedy (D)* Linda Carter (D)*

LD 23 — No Endorsement

LD 24 — Deana Lykins (D)

LD 25 — Lisa Bhimani (D) Darcy Draeger (D)

LD 26 — Christine Clarke (D) Laura Fortgag (D)

LD 27 — John McKeon (D)* Mila Jasey (D)*

LD 28 — Ralph Caputo (D)* Cleopatra Tucker (D)*

LD 29 — Eliana Pintor Marin (D)* Shanique Speight (D)*

LD 30 — No Endorsement

LD 31 — Nick Chiaravalloti (D)*  Angela McKnight (D)*

LD 32 — Angelica Jiminez (D)*  Pedro Mejia (D)*

LD 33 — Raj Muhkerji (D)*  Annette Chaparro (D)*

LD 34 — Tom Giblin (D)* Britnee Timberlake (D)*

LD 35 — Benjie Wimberly (D)*   Shavonda Sumter (D)*

LD 36 — Clinton Calabrese (D)*

LD 37 — Gordon Johnson (D)*  Valerie Huttle (D)*

LD 38 — Lisa Swain (D)* Chris Tully (D)*

LD 39 — Holly Schepisi (R)*, Gerald Falotico (D), John Birkner Jr. (D)

We wished she had not abstained on the LGBTQ curriculum legislation, however, Assemblywoman Schepisi has been an advocate on LGBTQ issues, including sponsoring the “Babs Siperstein Law” and we support her reelection to the Assembly.

LD 40 — No Endorsement

Local Endorsements:

Bette Jane Kowalski (D)* for Union County Freeholder

Cara Parmigiani (D) for Morris County Freeholder

Carol Rizzo (D)* for Neptune Mayor

Christopher Hillmann (D)* for Hasbrouck Heights Mayor

David T. Wright (D) for Ocean County Freeholder

Jean A. Czarkowski (D) for Ocean County Freeholder

Jonathan Petro (D) for Toms River Mayor

Meghan Huryk (D) for Neptune City Council

Michael DeFusco (D)* for Hoboken Council

Michael Penna (D) for Monmouth County Freeholder

Michael Thompson for Morris County Surrogate

Michael Warren (D) for Rochelle Park Council

Moira Nelson (D) for Monmouth County Freeholder

Pamela Renee (D)* for Neptune City Mayor

Rebecca Williams (D)* for Union County Freeholder

Sergio Granados (D)* for Union County Freeholder

Tom Arnone (R)* for Monmouth County Freeholder

Garden State Equality Action Fund also believes that it has a responsibility to share with our members a list of self-disclosed LGBTQ candidates, whether or not they received an endorsement. We encourage our members to support all LGBTQ candidates who support our community:

Brett Cannon for Matawan Council

Cara Parmigiani for Morris County Freeholder:

Carol Rizzo for Neptune Mayor

Caryl “Chris” Shoffner for South Bound Brook Mayor

Christine Dansereau for Mayor of Roselle

Christopher Hillmann for Hasbrouck Heights Mayor

Eileen Della Volle for Assembly in LD10

Gerald Lyons for Jersey City School Board

Jennifer Williams for Assembly LD15

Jonathan Petro for Toms River Mayor

Meghan Huryk for Neptune City Council

Michael Defusco for Hoboken Council

Michael Penna for Monmouth County Freeholder

Michael Warren for Rochelle Park Council

Michael Warren for Rochelle Park Council

Migdalia Pagan Milano for Hoboken Council

Moira Nelson for Monmouth County Freeholder

Pamela Renee for Neptune City Mayor

Patrick Curreri for Vernon Council

Rebecca Williams for Union County Freeholder

Rich Rockwell for Bloomfield Council

Wartyna “Nina” Davis for Bloomfield Council