[May 11, 2020 – Longport, New Jersey] Gordon MacInnes, Susie Wilson, and Irene Goldman, three prominent New Jersey progressive policy activists, announced today their support for Brigid Callahan Harrison for Congress.  

Mr. MacInnes, most recently served as President of New Jersey Policy Perspective from 2012 to 2018, the state’s leading progressive policy think tank in New Jersey.  Prior, Mr. MacInnes was deputy director of the White House Task Force on the Cities for the Johnson Administration, served twice in the New Jersey State Legislature, served as Assistant Commissioner in the New Jersey Department of Education, and was Executive Director of the New Jersey Network.

Mrs. Wilson is an activist who has worked for decades addressing social, political and educational issues affecting young people in New Jersey and has been recognized as a national leader in the fight for effective sexuality education, HIV/AIDS education, and adolescent pregnancy prevention.  In 1977, Governor Brendan Byrne first appointed her to the New Jersey State Board of Education. During her six-year term, she became vice president of the Board and its leader in promoting a statewide policy to require sexuality education as part of health education in the public schools. In addition, for 23 years, she served as executive coordinator of Answer, a ground-breaking program at Rutgers’ Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, where she organized and advocated for sexuality education nationwide and was founding publisher of www.sexetc.org, a national magazine and website addressing key topic related to sexuality and social issues for teens.

Ms. Goldman has had a distinguished career as an advocate for peace and human rights at home and abroad.  As one of New Jersey’s most respected social activist and community leaders, she has worked for decades in support of the global abolition of nuclear weapons and building a peace economy.  In addition to her work on peace and disarmament, she is an activist for a variety of causes including the empowerment of women, peace in the Middle East, Civil Rights, and voting integrity and security.

The following is a joint statement from MacInnes, Wilson, and Goldman:

“As one of the most highly regarded professors in the state of New Jersey, Brigid’s understanding of public policy is unmatched and we would be hard pressed to find a candidate throughout the country, let alone New Jersey, who understands the negative economic, political, historical and social implications that the Trump administration has brought to our country during the last four years.  There will be no on the job training for Brigid.  She has earned her reputation as a public policy expert because of her clear academic credentials and by being in the legislative arena for years.

“We are joining together to show our support for Brigid, because on every level – from gun violence to foreign policy to voting security to social security – her values and passions not only match ours, but they are clear and consistent.

“We have made our decision by reviewing Brigid’s stances on key policy issues and listening to her impressive personal story.  It is incumbent on all of us to learn where the candidates stand on the issues.  Brigid is a natural.  We believe she will represent New Jersey admirably and has what it takes to beat Van Drew.  We are Democrats.  We are progressive and we are proud to support Brigid Harrison for Congress.”